Reborn
by starah
Summary: AU ficlet: The straw-hat fleet has been sent to Earth. They don't remember anything. So what happens when they start to?
1. Something Happened

Something happened.  
  
The something that happened, though, wasn't meant to happen.  
  
That something that wasn't meant to happen was something bad.  
  
Altogether, this means that something bad happened that wasn't supposed to happen.  
  
God decided that this bad thing that happened that wasn't supposed to happen shouldn't really have happened.  
  
So God decided that He would send the souls of those who were victims of this something bad that happened to another dimension of His, onto another planet, called Earth.  
  
He was about to restore their memories immediately, but then, God decided something.  
  
God decided that He wasn't really all that bothered, and besides, the victims were smart enough to figure things out for themselves.  
  
So God left them alone, and decided to deal with them when the time came.  
  
He froze time on the planet in the other dimension, where the bad something first occurred.  
  
Then He went on with His own business and left the reincarnates on Earth.  
  
  
  
Somewhere on Earth, there are souls which feel something wrong with where they are.  
  
From those souls, there are seven that take a major part in their recovery.  
  
There is a green-haired college student who feels empty because he is missing something very important to him. He is about to enter a new university because he has just moved.  
  
There is a popular university girl who is trying to figure what she feels wrong with herself everytime she looks at her reflection. She is seconds away from greeting a friend of hers.  
  
There is a young engineer who dreams of people he does not know, yet recognises. Currently, he is waiting for someone he thankfully knows and recognises.  
  
There is a young male model who is cool and laid-back on the surface, but deep within lies an interior of desperacy and confusion. He is smoking a cigarette as he walks along the corridoors of his university.  
  
There is a swordswoman who takes pride in her sword but none in herself, and is seeking unconciously for someone to understand her. At the moment she is being screamed obscenities at as she cowers in a bathroom cubicle.  
  
There is a young actress who carries a great loneliness and despression in her weak heart and doesn't know why uptil this very moment. She is being shielded by her manager from screaming fans as she walks to a studio.  
  
There is an orphan who knows the truth, knows what he's doing here, and is searching for the others.  
  
These seven people are destined to meet again.  
  
However, out of the seven, only one has been awakened.  
  
Only when the six ignorant ones are awakened can their fate be fully decided.  
  
And once awakened, all of them must take their part in recovering their past lives, where they truly belong.  
  
They have no idea that their lives are about to take an enormous twist the day a certain student enters the university building.  
  
Which he is about to, actually..., right about now. 


	2. Swordsman, Sniper and Navigator

He paused before the new university before him, green fields of mowed grass stretching out before a tall, blue and white building, with several different shades of blue for each extension.  
  
'I needa cut my hair soon,'  
  
He thought as a few green strands came into view as he stalled for time. However, he knew it was inevitable, and sighed.  
  
Tugging at the pale-blue bandanna he had pulled over his head, he gave it a second thought before pulling it off, deciding it was bad enough that he was wearing a blue polo shirt.   
  
'I don't exactly want to blend completely into the school exterior.'  
  
He thought to himself, watching students walk out and rush in through the front and side doors of the main building. Scuffling his sneakers a bit, he reluctantly stepped onto the soil of the campus, cringing when he noticed that the soil was springy.  
  
'Damn it... it's... NICE.'  
  
This wasn't good, because he needed as many reasons as to why the Grand Line university was worse than his previous college. He hadn't wanted to move. He was had a very withdrawn personality, all because of this strange feeling in him. He felt as though he had lost his confidence somehow, though he had no idea when because his mother had told him he had always been quiet.  
  
The problem was, he didn't like being quiet. But he felt strangely... how could he describe it? ...Defenceless? It was a strange way to express his quiet nature, but that was the only way he could describe it.  
  
Anyways, he had just made two quite close friends, but nooooo, his parents just *had* to decide to move places. Because the previous college had had no accommodation, he had been forced to leave the college and apply for a university in what his parents called 'the city'.  
  
It had been hard to make friends, and now he was going to have to endure another semester with students who didn't know him. He was hoping that if he complained enough, his father might decide to send him to his aunt's house back near the college.  
  
Dry clumps of dirt were sprinkled over his sneakers as three students ran towards the open gates, and he thought quickly,  
  
'Good. Point #1; the students here are brash and rude.'  
  
"Sorry!"  
  
Called one of the guys as they ran.  
  
'Now I have to scratch that. Damn it!'  
  
However, as he walked across to the stairs, he was interrupted by a sudden rush of... anticipation...?  
  
'Huh?'  
  
He looked around with a frown, wondering if he had sub-conciously seen a nice tree branch he could sleep on, when he heard something that sounded like a continuous... war-cry?!!  
  
'Huh??'  
  
Glancing up towards the top of the stairs, he saw a blur of brown as the brown bag hit someone smack-bang in the nose. He winced inwardly.  
  
'Ouch. That had to hurt...'  
  
He noticed the guy who had been hit - who he presumed was one of the uni students -, as he rolled down the stairs, was also wearing something like a bandanna, although it was more like a large 'kerchief.   
  
'Oh. At least I won't stand out as much, then.'  
  
The girl who had whapped him with her bag was fuming as she stepped down the stairs, and when she reached the bottom, she grabbed the guy's nose - which he noticed was pretty long - and pulled hard.  
  
He wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying, but he rolled his eyes, sighing. Then he blinked.  
  
'Do I find them that exasperating?'  
  
He wondered.  
  
'I usually don't give a damn to people I don't know...'  
  
The girl and they guy conversed for a minute or so before Zoro realised he had stopped walking, standing stock-still in the grass and staring at the two students.  
  
'Geez, what the hell's up with me?? Better start walking...'  
  
He began to trudge up the stairs, stuffing his bandanna into his pocket when the feeling of anticipation quite suddenly drained out of him, startling him because he hadn't known he'd still had that feeling.  
  
Turning around, he noticed that the orange-haired girl and the long-nosed guy were gone from sight. Then he wondered why he'd turned around in first place.  
  
'What the hell *is* up with me??'  
  
He thought, shaking himself mentally as he walked on, in through the main entrance. Then he added to himself,  
  
'#1; this place makes me feel... weird.'  
  
"Zoro Roronoah?"  
  
He looked at the direction of the voice in surprise. Who knew him already...? Of course, he thought with a sweat-drop... the dean.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
He said, and the dean smiled warmly.  
  
"Hello, Zoro. I'm Mr. Harrison. Welcome to the Grand Line uni."  
  
Zoro nodded and looked at him awkwardly. Mr. Harrison gestured towards a bulletin board, and Zoro walked over to take a look at the sketch-map of the school that the dean was pointing to.  
  
"There are eight floors to Grand Line uni, including two five-story and one three-story extensions,"  
  
Mr. Harrison explained as he pointed to different areas. Zoro pretended to look interested.  
  
"You'll be having Physics in the first extension, on the third floor. You'll have Maths in the main building - the one we're standing in now - also on the third floor. Your third subject - Music - is also in the main building, on the seventh floor.'  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
Zoro said, only half-listening. He had chosen his own subjects, but he didn't have to like them. He wasn't bad at them, but he was no genius. He had never been good at anything at school except for P.E., but because he had never joined a sports activity, his teachers had advised him not to choose P.E. as a future-career.  
  
"...-metry in Maths, Astrology in Physics and Composing in Music. You see, we split each subject into separate topics for each semester..."  
  
Zoro's eyes were glazed, far from listening to the drone of Mr. Harrison and instead thinking, nodding automatically at every pause the dean made.  
  
He had chosen his next best subjects; Physics, Maths and Music - but he still had no idea what he wanted to become. He had lied about being an architect to anyone who had asked him, including application forms, but in truth, he didn't want to become an architect... he had no idea what he wanted to be, but it wasn't an architect, that was for sure.  
  
"...-mitories are in the second extension. Your room is--"  
  
Snapping back to attention at mention of his room, Zoro quickly interrupted,  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
"Dormitories are in the second extension,"  
  
Mr. Harrison said, his tone slightly irritated as he seemed to realise that Zoro hadn't been listening until now,  
  
"And you're sharing with another student. Sandy White."  
  
Zoro felt a familiar nag at the side of his brain.  
  
"Sandy White? Isn't that the name of some model?"  
  
Zoro asked slowly. Mr. Harrison nodded, as though he were proud of it himself.  
  
"Not just 'some model'. The most sensational nineteen-year-old model since three years ago."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Zoro said, wondering what else he was supposed to say. There was a short pause before Mr. Harrison went on,  
  
"So that's it. Here,"  
  
The dean handed Zoro a clear plastic folder holding several loose-leaf papers,  
  
"this holds the Grand Line university map, some information about the kiosk and extensions, a little information on your subjects and your timetable."  
  
Zoro silently tucked the folder into his bag, and stood expectantly. Mr. Harrison heaved a sigh.  
  
"Come on then, I'll take you to your dorm now."  
  
  
  
She waited impatiently before a row of gym lockers, flipping her long orange hair behind her shoulder and puffing her fringe up, tugging at her spaghetti straps. As she re-adjusted her hair clips, she decided that she couldn't stand waiting anymore, so she slung on her shoulder-bag and walked huffily along the corridoor.   
  
Walking quite blindly, she brushed past someone, and looked up to apologise for her rush when she saw a glimpse of blonde hair.  
  
Recognising the model, she frowned. Looking at the guy made her insides twist strangely, which she always supposed was because the guy had strong, arrogant vibes.  
  
She muttered 'sorry' incoherently before continuing to walk, then spotted who she'd been waiting for the whole entire time. Breaking into a run, she dashed up to the front stairs of the Grand Line university, her shoulder-strap tightly wound around her fist.  
  
The young man waiting patiently for his friend glanced up in surprise at the running said friend, and smiled, opening his mouth to say hello when he realised three things. Her eyes were flashing, she was screaming a war-cry-like holler and she was swinging her bag around like a mace.  
  
"Nami?! What's wrong--"  
  
"YAAAARGH!!"  
  
With that, Nami slammed her bag, containing a bag of makeup, a purse, a pencil case, a geometry set and a thick set of textbooks for Geometry, Astrology and Geography, onto his head with a loud WHAM.  
  
He stumbled around and ended up rolling down the front stairs. Nami followed with a non-committical expression, stepping down the steps slowly as though she couldn't see what the other students passing were staring at - the teenager at the bottom of the stairs in a baggy khaki sweatshirt and equally baggy jeans, twitching in pain as he rolled over his bag.  
  
She knelt down and grabbed his long nose, pulling it painfully as he yelped with a nasal sort of sound.  
  
"I waited for you in front of the gym lockers for half an hour,"  
  
She growled, her hazel-eyes flaring in a fire that her friend sweat-drop,  
  
"A full bloody thirty minutes!! Explain yourself. NOW."  
  
"We met in front of the gym lockers last time!! You said to meet in front of the stairs today, I'm sure of it!!"  
  
He cried, getting up and attempting to pry off Nami's clamp-like grip on his nose.  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
Nami remembered, letting go of his nose so that her companion could breath,  
  
"Sorry. Did you wait long?"  
  
"Noooo,"  
  
He said sarcastically while nursing his bruised nose,  
  
"I only waited half an hour. Only a measly amount of thirty minutes."  
  
"Oh come on, Usopp,"  
  
Nami said with a puppy-innocent smile at her friend,  
  
"I said I was sorry."  
  
"Yeah, and you sure sounded sincere when you did,"  
  
He muttered, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose,  
  
"But we forgive you."  
  
"We?"  
  
"Me and my glasses. You didn't break them, so they forgive you readily."  
  
Nami rolled her eyes, but smiled.  
  
"So any particular reason for wanting to see me today?"  
  
Usopp shrugged as he retied the scarf around his head, which had dismantled itself during the fall.  
  
"Just."  
  
He lied, and Nami knew it immediately.  
  
"You're lying!"  
  
"Am not!"  
  
"And again! You're so obvious when you lie, you know?"  
  
He groaned.   
  
"You win. I have a reason for dragging you out of your campus."  
  
Nami raised an eyebrow.  
  
"How about you? Your classes finished already?"  
  
Usopp had dropped high school and gone to engineering classes since. He was now a semi-professional engineer still in training, but occasionally dropped by the Grand Line university to fix things when they needed fixing.  
  
"Er..., yes."  
  
"You're lying again."  
  
"Fine, it's just that they're re-visiting old mechanic-maths that I already know so I feel fine skiving it off today."  
  
He shook his head, then began to pull Nami towards the main opening of the whole university.  
  
"Hey, hey, what's the rush?"  
  
Nami asked as he basically dragged Nami across the grass.  
  
"I'm hungry! Let's go eat ice-cream."  
  
Usopp said, and Nami sighed. He definitely had something to tell her, so he probably planned to tell her over ice-cream, she supposed.  
  
"Sure,"  
  
She consented. 


	3. Cook, Marine and Mansion Inheritor

He was pissed off at nothing in particular, as usual.  
  
He took a long drag, puffing out donuts of smoke into the air when he was brushed past roughly by blur of orange. Narrowing his eyes, he turned slightly to take a look at the offender when he caught sight of long, glossy orange hair and hazel-brown eyes.   
  
'Nami!'  
  
He thought, brightening a little. He didn't know the girl at all, but he knew her name and for some reason was very attracted to the way she looked. Something looked a little... well, *off*, for some reason only God would know, but all the same just looking at the girl brought a smile to his face.  
  
However, she muttered something before running off again, leaving him with an even more emptier feeling than usual.  
  
Running a hand through his blonde hair, the young model wondered how his new room-mate would be like as he flicked his cigarette towards a bin. It bounced off the rim neatly, landing on the floor, a waft of smoke floating upwards.  
  
With a sweatdrop he crushed the smoking red embers of the cigarette with his heel, then kicked it upwards. This time, it fell into the bin.  
  
Smiling a little now, he walked about. He wasn't bothered to go to Literature, so he sat down onto a small tuft of grass behind the first extension and lit another cigarette.  
  
He had been thinking loads lately - about himself, about Nami, about life in general... it pissed him off. He didn't like thinking deep. He liked cooking.  
  
'That's the problem though,'  
  
He thought bitterly,  
  
'Everyone bloody wants me to continue being a model!'  
  
All he'd wanted, when he'd chosen to take a few magazine shoots, was to grab a couple of quick bucks so he could learn cooking professionally. However, it had landed him in an actual *career*. Even after accomplishing what he'd wanted by entering a university, he was still appreciated for his looks. He was forever being pulled this way and that to take more than just magazine shoots now; he was even being requested for a new movie coming up.  
  
Shuddering, he thought of his annoying red-head manager. He had popped up out of the blue and offered to take his modelling career into his hands. The young model had agreed, thinking it was only for a short while, but he had ended up with more money than he'd wanted in his life, and everyone was ignoring his cooking skills and only looking at him literally.  
  
He was quite good at cooking actually; everyone used to compliment him on his cooking. But now he was confined to the walls of modelling; if he backed out of it, everyone would back out on him. They wanted... no, *expected* him to continue being a model for the rest of his life, as though he couldn't do anything better. They would treat him like an idiot if he let go of the modelling business, and he knew it because they'd done so the first time he'd brought the issue of retiring up.  
  
'But I like cooking,'  
  
He thought,   
  
'And that's what's bugging me now.'  
  
Realising he was going in a paradox, he decided it was time to go to his dorm and sleep on it. Walking up, he wondered if his room-mate was in yet, and was answered when he noticed that his door was slightly open.  
  
He nudged the door open with a foot, and noticed a green-haired guy in black trousers that reached a length just over his knees, and a blue polo shirt.  
  
'Just what the Grand Line uni needs... another nerd.'  
  
He thought with a smirk. The green-head was bent well over and searching the contents of his bag for something. He watched the guy amusedly for a moment, waiting for the green-head to straighten and notice him, then maybe look embarrassed for a moment. Yes, he would show the green-head who was boss in this dorm room; show him why no one else shared a room with him.  
  
The green-head continued to dig through his bag for a while, then apparently found what he was looking for. However, it seemed that it was stuck in the confines of the bag, and he gave a low grunt as he pulled at it. When it didn't come loose, he stood up and pulled at the thing with all his force.  
  
The model watched from the door-frame, wondering when the hell the moron would turn around and notice him, when the green-head let out a sudden yell as the thing he was pulling at suddenly gave way, and he flew backwards right into his watcher at the door, crashing onto the hallway with him.  
  
"The hell?!!"  
  
He spluttered, kicking his new room-mate off him and dusting his shirt and chest angrily. The green-head turned his head to look at him, blinking in surprise. He held a set of earphones in his hands.  
  
"Sorry,"  
  
The new guy said, standing up and dusting himself as well,  
  
"But you were the one standing the doorway the whole entire time."  
  
The model face-faulted.  
  
'He knew the whole entire time??'  
  
He thought as he recovered, then looking slightly embarrassed, demanded,  
  
"Why the hell didn't you say anything?!!"  
  
The new guy shrugged.  
  
"Don't see any reason why I should stop you doing what you want. I suppose you're Sandy?"  
  
By now, the young model had realised that this 'new guy' was not exactly the geek material he'd expected. He had, after all, switched the expected scenario around. Now that he could see the guy properly, he noticed three silver hoops in his left ear, betraying the geeky look the polo shirt gave. Glaring at him suspiciously, he snapped,  
  
"Don't call me that. I'm Sanji."  
  
"Sanji White?"  
  
"No,"  
  
Sanji said as he shut the door and walked over to his side of the dorm room,  
  
"Just Sanji. I don't have a surname."  
  
The green-head looked curiously at him as he plugged his earphones into an MD player.  
  
"Aren't you the model Sandy White?"  
  
"Yeah, but that's just a name they stuck me with because 'Sanji' apparently doesn't sound good enough. And I'm an orphan, so I don't know my surname."  
  
"Oh, I see now. Sanji, then."  
  
"You've asked me enough about my name. What's yours?"  
  
"Zoro. Zoro Roronoah."  
  
"Hmm... I see now. Zoro Roronoah."  
  
Lying flat on his back onto his bed, Sanji decided that now was the time to show Zoro who the superior was here.  
  
"Well, Zoro, you better realise that no one usually risks sharing a room with me because of my attitude. I've got a bad temper, but knowing it doesn't make it any better. So don't do anything that'll piss me off. Understand, green-head?"  
  
There was a long pause.  
  
"Answer when you're asked something!!"  
  
Sanji said irritatedly, bolting up and sitting on his bed to glare full-on at Zoro... to find out that the guy was sleeping on his bed with his earphones on. Falling off his bed, Sanji wondered how the hell he was going to survive a single semester with the annoying git.  
  
Then he wondered why he was so agitated in the first place. Even if the new git had crashed into him upon arrival, it was a simple matter of glaring at him coldly and dismissing it with a disgusted grimace. But for some reason, just looking at the snoring newbie annoyed Sanji greatly.  
  
He wondered if Zoro could possibly be feeling the same irritation he was feeling before asking himself why he was wondering about that.  
  
  
  
"Are you listening, raven?"  
  
She crouched down as though under gunfire, clutching her ears as though they were throbbing in pain.  
  
"Go away..."  
  
She whispered.  
  
"I wondered why you cut your hair at the salon like that,"  
  
The voice sneered,  
  
"Why the hell were you even trying to be pretty. Didn't you know it was impossible? Now you look even more like a raven."  
  
Appreciative snickers bounded off the sticky bathroom walls as she winced.  
  
"Just go away..."  
  
She mumbled.  
  
"Well, whatever it was for, it convinced Jonathan that he wanted *you* as his partner, and not Carrie. You better apologise to her."  
  
That nettled her.  
  
Then it happened again - a mixed surge of confidence and anger, just like when she held a bokken during kendo classes - but she toned it down as best and as desperately as she could.  
  
"Just because Carrie is frickin' crap at Biology,"  
  
She muttered - loud enough to let them hear.  
  
"What the hell?!!"  
  
She grinned in self-triumph for a moment. A split second later, a cascade of water drenched her head and shoulders, the freezing cold seeping well through each strand of hair to the roots, her clothes soaking at the shoulders. She blinked water and tears out of her eyes, taking off her glasses to wipe at them with a dry corner of her shirt.  
  
"You're a real bitch, Tashigi. You know that?"  
  
This time, the girl's voice was low with anger. Tashigi rolled her eyes.  
  
"You need help. Not just your looks, although nothing could help that. You need something to fix with your life and attitude in general. Do you really think it's so smart of you to give retorts like that while you're hiding in the bathroom, whimpering into the toilet-seat? You proud of yourself?"  
  
The girls giggled as Tashigi's fingers gripped her glasses tightly, trembling violently out of anger. It was the same thing every day, straight after some class of some sort. They would always catch her in the bathroom, humilating and defiling her while she waited desperately for them to leave.  
  
Today was different, though. For some reason, her rush of confidence hadn't faded yet, and the most strangest sense of hurt pride invaded her usual humble attitude. Tashigi had never felt hurt pride before. Hell, she had never felt pride at all in her life, come to think of it. Yet now, there it was, being hit blow by blow by every sentence the bitch outside made.  
  
"You don't want to admit it, do you, Tashigi? That you're scared?"  
  
Her knuckles grew white as her grip tightened upon her glasses.   
  
"Face it girl. We scare you everytime we force you to look at yourself properly. It's only facing the truth, you know. But you're afraid of the truth."  
  
Even tighter.  
  
"Now that makes you one pathetic little bitch now, doesn't it, Tashigi?"  
  
With a sharp crack, the glasses crumpled in a fistful of broken plastic and glass, and the confidence and fury fled like a wind. With a choked sob, Tashigi slammed her weight against the cubical door and burst out of it, her arms over her face as though to shield herself from something, running through the pack of startled girls.  
  
'Why?'  
  
The question echoed in her head, her mixed emotions clouded and refusing to clear.  
  
'Why??'  
  
A single tear of frustration trickled down her cheek as she ran out of the bathroom into the corridoor.   
  
  
  
A pastel-blue sandal stepped out of the shiny black car and onto grey gravel and a wild cheer exploded from the surrounding crowd, flashes of ink on card rectangles and cameras accompanying the hollering reporters.  
  
"Is it true that you are engaged with the boss of Feline Incorporates?"  
  
"Are you having an affair between a certain boss and another lawyer?"  
  
"Are the rumours true? They go as far as to say you have liver cancer, or leukemia. Which is it?"  
  
"Please give us an opinion, Miss Kaya!!"  
  
She tried her best to ignore them, biting her lip as she walked on. Policemen surrounded her path, blocking the screaming public, and her manager walked before her, leading her towards the studio in which she was scheduled to film the next episode of her current TV series.  
  
"Go away!!"  
  
Yelled her manager,  
  
"GO AWAY!!"  
  
Kaya felt a tight squeeze to her heart and she gasped, stumbling slightly but catching hold of her manageri's coat sleeve, managing to steady herself.  
  
She walked as purposefully as she could through the doors, then let out a huge sigh of relief to find the studio lobby quite devoid of noise and human activity.  
  
"Are you alright, Miss Kaya?"  
  
Asked her manager concernedly. Kaya nodded shortly.  
  
"I'm fine, Merii."  
  
She walked on to the elevator, her heart clenching again. Merii sighed.   
  
"Miss Kaya... please. Are you alright? Did you forget to take your depression tablets this morning?"  
  
Her fingers tightened around the area of fabric over her chest as she breathed deeply and slowly.  
  
"I think I forgot,"  
  
She said through her teeth,  
  
"Merii, could you please get them for me?"  
  
"Right, Miss."  
  
Merii said wearily, refraining from sighing, and walked towards the gliding doors.  
  
Kaya rubbed her eyes with a sleeve, blinking out the blurs bothering her sight. Her condition was getting worse. No, she didn't have leukemia or liver cancer. The reason unknown even to the doctors who had treated her, Kaya had sunk into deep depression when she had turned fifteen last year.  
  
Her weak heart had been badly affected by the sudden bad condition, but she was trying to keep up with the world around her rather than sink into her own. However, she could *feel* herself deteriorating; her physical and mental condition slowly fuzzing up into a haze of loneliness and sadness. Overcome with sudden emotional turmoil which she didn't even know the reason for, Kaya had lost the gift to smile.  
  
However, she was alright. She felt that as long as she didn't forget how to live, one day, she'd become better again. She would be able to laugh and smile again one day - but for now, she knew she just had to live with the media and act as well as she could, forcing the corners of her mouth to act up when they had to.  
  
Kaya felt her heart give a painful throb, and a sense of uneasiness weighted onto her whole being.  
  
Something was missing. A large chunk of her had been bitten out of her when she had become fifteen. Part of it, she knew, was from the loss of her parents, although they had died a long time ago..., but the other half... She had no idea what it was, but whatever it was, it truly made her feel empty.  
  
She wished she could fill her emptiness before her condition grew out of control, and hoped she would be able to smile again.  
  
  
**Just an idea I had... whatcha think? Work okay? O.o;; Please tell me whatcha think~ The fic has been planned out from till the end, so if you guys think the idea is okay, I'll take it into my hands to continue. Okay? ^^;; And if it works, I can slap it onto me site! ^o^~~ 


	4. Icecream and Maths

"So....,"  
  
Nami said as she stirred chocolate chips into her whipped cream,  
  
"What's bothering you lately?"  
  
Usopp dug a spoonful of cookies'n'cream and answered,  
  
"Another dream."  
  
before swallowing. Nami looked at him in surprise as she ate a spoonful of her vanilla and chocolate swirl herself.  
  
"Another one?"  
  
Usopp was worried about how Nami was going to take *this* dream. It hadn't been pleasant.  
  
Nami knew all about him. She knew he was into mechanics, about his abandoned past, what he liked eating and how he acted. He knew the same things about Nami as well, which was why he was pretty sure that she wasn't going to take this dream in lightly.  
  
He had started having the strange dreams since primary school. At his younger age, he had dreams of a home with a set of parents in a place of green fields and trees, with blue skies. It was incredibly weird; he could remember every single detail of every dream he had, and it actually *made sense*. It was as though his dreams were of an alternate universe; another world with another life.  
  
As he grew older, he grew older in his dreams as well. His mother had died, his father had abandoned him, yet he kept pride in his father. The details then started to fade a little, although certain images still remained in his mind, bright and clear. For example, he had heard of a young girl who was sick from depression. He had told her stories to cheer her up. Lies as they were, the stories had worked, and Usopp suspected that he and that girl had felt something a little deeper.  
  
Then a sharp, clear cut dream of a bunch of bandits attacking his home-town had come. And, like a pandora's box, hope had come along with the evil.  
  
A green-haired swordsman, a stretchy sort of guy, and most amusingly, Nami. He had told Nami about her; how she was a money-crazy as she was now, and had exactly the same attitude towards him as she had now. Like him, she had laughed.  
  
Usopp hadn't explained any physical details to Nami because those sort of details were hard to remember. It was easy enough for him to recall emotions and actions, but to remember a certain image of a person from his dream was difficult.  
  
It was also hard to recall terms and words used in his dreams; he knew that there was something that made the stretchy guy in his dream; well, stretchy, but he couldn't remember what the something was called. And it wasn't a 'bunch of bandits' that had attacked his home-town, but something else... a word that seemed to be at the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't seem to remember it.  
  
"Usopp?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
He blinked, looking at Nami tap her chin with a spoon with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"I asked, 'another one'? You know, as in, another dream?"  
  
Usopp nodded, back to reality.  
  
"Yeah. It was disturbing enough, Nami."  
  
"So bad enough to make you want to talk about it, ne?"  
  
Nami murmured, the hint of concern in her voice mismatching her monotonous expression.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He set down his spoon with a bit of a grimace.  
  
"Well, this dream... okay... I can't remember much, but this word 'Arlong' remains in my head."  
  
The most strangest thing happened. In a split second, Nami's eyes darkened, her lip curling into a frighteningly un-Nami-like scowl. What startled both of them and Nami out of her sudden reaction was the crack of the glass bowl holding her ice-cream, her hand withdrawing from the ice-cream as though she had been burned.  
  
"Wh-what the..."  
  
Usopp stared at the cracked glass, melted ice-cream starting to drip out of it. Nami blinked, her eyes clearing and a look of confusion settling on her face.  
  
"What the hell Nami?! That freaked me out!!"  
  
Usopp exclaimed, his expression alarmed.  
  
"S-sorry! I don't know what happened!"  
  
Nami said honestly, now looking bewildered,  
  
"Something just came over me. I didn't know I had the strength to crack glass, either."  
  
"That's not what scared me,"  
  
He muttered, her darkened eyes surfacing fresh in his memory.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
There was a short silence as Nami looked at her hand, still in surprise. A pain lightly throbbed in her right shoulder.  
  
"Look, nothing's wrong, okay? Go on."  
  
She said, and Usopp nodded slowly before continuing.  
  
"Well, you left the group."  
  
"Left it?"  
  
"Let me rephrase that. You kicked off some people off our ship, took all the treasures and betrayed us completely by taking the ship with you and betraying our trust."  
  
Her jaw dropped at the malice in Usopp's voice.  
  
"Hey! Don't get mad at me. It's just a dream - I don't know what I did in it!"  
  
"Yeah, well, I don't know why, but it really hurt. It kind of hurts to look at you even now, actually."  
  
Nami looked at him in surprise. Usopp's eyes and voice really were stained in pain, and now that he had remembered his dream, he couldn't seem to meet her eyes now.  
  
"Be reasonable! It's a dream. I didn't do anything!"  
  
She cried.   
  
"Oh? How do you know you didn't *really* do it?"  
  
He snapped back without thinking.  
  
"Usopp!!"  
  
Words came to his mouth without his thinking.  
  
"You were ours,"  
  
He muttered,  
  
"Not his."  
  
"Cut it out, Usopp!!"  
  
He gave himself a mental shake before saying softly,  
  
"Sorry Nami. This time, I don't know what came over *me*."  
  
"Damn right you're sorry,"  
  
She snapped, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of shock and anger. There was a long, uncomfortable pause as Nami steamed inside at the weird attitude of Usopp's while he himself wondered what had him so wired up.  
  
He checked his watch, even his movements making him feel awkward, and hitched up his bag as he said a little stiffly,  
  
"I was meant to be at Melinda's Charity House fifteen minutes ago."  
  
"You better get going then, haven't you."  
  
She said frostily. He winced at the frostbite.  
  
"I'll call you later..."  
  
His voice trailed off as she refused to meet his eyes. Her icecream was still leaking out of the crack in the glass. Usopp adjusted his glasses before murmuring,  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He turned and left the ice-cream parlour with a depressed expression. Nami sighed, abandoning her ice-cream and standing up. The whirl of emotion within her seemed to melt away, like her damn ice-cream was doing now. Sadness, anger, pain - it was a bloody confusing cocktail.  
  
"Damn it!!"  
  
She started to curse Usopp inwardly, but stopped. Remembering the pained look on his face when he had muttered 'You were ours, not his' made Nami's insides clench a bit.  
  
"Damn your stupid dream..."  
  
She muttered, then realised something with a jolt.  
  
"Damn YOU Usopp!! You left me to pay for your ice-cream?!! ARRRRGGGHH!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
***THURSDAY::  
  
* Morning Classes:: 07:30 AM - 09:45 AM - PHYSICS  
* Evening Classes:: 20:15 PM - 22:30 PM - MATHS  
  
Zoro read his timetable for Thursday in disbelief.  
  
'I get evening classes?!! Damn it!!'  
  
He thought, looking longingly at his mattress. His eyes returned to the timetable, then checked his watch. It was 20:11, meaning he had four minutes to get his butt in the Maths classroom. Grumbling, he got up, pulling on a bag, when his head felt a little weird.  
  
'Oh, I forgot my bandanna. Now where the hell did I put it...'  
  
He looked around his bed, his bag and the floor and finally found it when he patted his pockets. He deftly swathed his head in the blue, string-dyed material before checking his watch again. 20:14, giving him sixty seconds.  
  
He hitched his bag up and jumped down whole flights around the stair case till he met the grassy grounds, then wondered where the classroom was.  
  
"Oh shit..."  
  
He muttered, consulting his timetable again, knowing that even though he despised Maths, it was his best subject out of the three, so if he really couldn't get out of the place, at least he would have a good score on Maths.  
  
**First Extension, Third Floor, Classroom 35**  
  
Read Zoro. He ran as hard as he could towards the extension, pounded up three flights of stairs before bursting into a Physics laboratory full of students studying the night skies with telescopes. Everyone stared at the slightly panting green-head in a blue bandanna mutter something before dashing out of sight.  
  
'What the hell?!!'  
  
He thought frantically as he pulled out his timetable again. He had read the wrong thing - he had just entered the lab he was to have for Physics. With a sweatdrop, he noticed the correct classroom below it, this time definitely for Maths.  
  
Zoro entered the right classroom in the main building on the third floor breathing a little heavily, officially thirteen minutes late.  
  
"S-sorry I'm late,"  
  
He mumbled, looking around the classroom full of kids working out problems at their desks, the silence broken by his noisy breathing.  
  
'Shit, this is kind of embarrassing.'  
  
He thought as he tried to control his deep gulps of air into smaller breaths while the teacher gave him a weird look before picking up a register-looking thing up from his desk and enquiring,  
  
"Zoro Roronoah?"  
  
Zoro nodded as the teacher sighed and made a little tutting sound before jabbing a thumb towards an empty desk.  
  
"Ask Johnny what we're doing,"  
  
The teacher said, passing Zoro a thick, green textbook,  
  
"I'm sorry I can't be with you right now, but I'll talk to you next class."  
  
Then in a louder voice, he called to the class,  
  
"I've got a meeting to go to, so behave little children!"  
  
The kids chorused a mixed 'yes Mr. Saunders!' before dissolving into laughter, and waved their teacher off before continuing with their studies.  
  
Zoro sat down in his desk, and felt a weird sort of feeling behind his back. He turned around to notice the girl from before - the orange-haired girl he had seen on the stairs. Her long, orange hair was tied in a quick knot at the back of her neck, and she was chatting animatedly with a blue-haired girl next to her. Zoro was momentarily struck with a numbing sense of...  
  
'Of what?'  
  
He wondered.  
  
"Hey. I'm Johnny."  
  
The moment cracked and shattered as Zoro turned back around, and he found a black-haired guy wearing sunglasses smiling friendly-like at him.  
  
"Zoro."  
  
Zoro replied, then asked,  
  
"Uhm, are you allowed to wear those things in here?"  
  
Johnny laughed.  
  
"Hell, yeah! You're allowed to wear bandanna's too."  
  
Johnny then opened his textbook, gesturing for Zoro to do the same, and asked,  
  
"You got a geometry set?"  
  
Zoro bit his lip.  
  
"It's in my dorm. I didn't think I needed it now. Should I go get it?"  
  
"Don't bother."  
  
The feminine voice behind brought Zoro's attention back to the orange-haired girl, and she passed a set to Zoro.  
  
"Here. Use mine."  
  
"Don't you need it?"  
  
"Nah, I just finished the module. I'm taking a break until the teacher comes back till the next one."  
  
Zoro took the set with a grateful nod.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
He turned to his bag and pulled out his notebook and a pen, and turned to ask Johnny which page they were on to be startled. He hadn't noticed Johnny staring at him with a dropped jaw, the sunglasses slipping down the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Uhm, Johnny... which page are we on?"  
  
"Zoro, do you know her!?"  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
"She's only the most popular girl in this whole university!"  
  
"Oh, okay. So which page are we on?"  
  
Still in disbelief, Johnny mumbled,  
  
"167. I've never even talked to her..."  
  
before lapsing into a depressed silence. With a sweatdrop, Zoro said,  
  
"Oi, don't make that face."  
  
Johnny sighed, picking up a pair of compasses and sketching a circle before saying,  
  
"Yeah, okay. Eaten dinner yet?"  
  
Zoro shook his head, and Johnny smiled again.  
  
"Great! How's we go to the cafeteria right after this? I'm meeting another friend there too."  
  
"...yeah?"  
  
Johnny sighed in relief when Zoro smiled in response.  
  
***  
Thanks for all the positive feedback! ^^* By now, you probably will have realised that I'm going through scenarios with characters one by one, though not necessarily in any particular order. ~_^ I love to hear your opinions! Give me a review now and then to cheer me up, 'right? ^^* 


	5. Usopp's Vision

"Yow!!"  
  
"Watch it, Tashigi!!"  
  
"S-s-sorry!!"  
  
She cried, banging the trolley of lenses around without meaning to. The more she tried not to hit anything, the more she seemed to stumble and crash into things. Just when she felt she had finally gotten control of the trolley, a foot stuck out and Tashigi tripped, slamming her forehead into the trolley end while lenses fell onto the ground, several cracking apart into sharp shards.  
  
One slid right into the soft skin of her thumb as she fumbled around for her glasses. There were sounds of the door of the Physics lab crashing open and shut, but Tashigi didn't take much notice. She found her glasses and shook them free of tiny bits of glass before putting them on. She examined her hands. They were bleeding, and her left thumb was bleeding badly.  
  
"Tashigi!"  
  
Ms. Morris tutted as Tashigi bowed down several times as she apologised.  
  
"Look, this is the third time this semester. Do be careful next time. Clean your hands up before you start cleaning anything else."  
  
Tashigi nodded, and let out a low sigh as the Physics teacher addressed the class, explaining several notions of some astrologist while Tashigi unstuck what glass she could from herself before sweeping up the mess.  
  
"Retard,"  
  
A girl beside hissed in her ear as she passed. She ignored her, but paused to wipe her spit out of the rim of her ear. She was picking up undamaged lenses from the floor when another hand joined her picking. She looked up in surprise to see dark-chocolate eyes staring back at her, and realised it was Jonathan.  
  
"Jonathan?"  
  
"Tashigi, you should really get those properly bandaged."  
  
He commented. She looked down at her fingers and shook her head. It would disturb kendo but she wasn't about to tell him that. No one knew about her kendo skills except for her kendo teacher.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
She looked at his sharp, angled face and the dark-brown hair that fell into his eyes and allowed herself a small smile. At least he was nice...  
  
"Uh, Tashigi... listen."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
She asked, carefully setting the lenses into the small cardboard box on the top of the trolley. Jonathan dumped his roughly on top before saying casually,  
  
"You wanna be my dance-partner this Friday?"  
  
Tashigi's eyed widened.  
  
"What?"  
  
She asked, wondering if she had heard properly.  
  
"You know. Be my date this Friday."  
  
"D-d-date?!!"  
  
She stuttered. He nodded, smiling. His white teeth glinted at her.  
  
"What about it?"  
  
He asked smoothly. He appeared to be enjoying her reaction as she blushed and looked slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Uh... sure."  
  
She mumbled. Tashigi had never, in her whole entire life, been asked out by a guy. She had always been the loner, and guys didn't bother with her.  
  
But Jonathan was a nice guy, and she was pretty sure he was asking as a friend. They had sort of become friends through Biology and Physics classes during first semester.  
  
"Great. I'll see you tomorrow during Biology, huh?"  
  
He flashed his teeth at her again before striding away. Tashigi smiled, feeling happier than she had in ages. She walked past the table of bitches with her half-dreamy smile, relieved to see that they didn't attempt to trip her.  
  
They must be gob-smacked, she decided, especially Carrie... she smiled contentedly as she gazed at constellations in the clear night-skies.  
  
If only she had seen Carrie's smile.  
  
  
  
"Sanji~!! It's me~~!!"  
  
"Oh no... what is it?"  
  
"Got you a slot tomorrow. Three o' clock sharp, got it? At Clarina Street. I'll meet you in front of Clarina Crescent, how's that?"  
  
"Bad."  
  
"Is it? There's an advertisement due on Friday, I'll re-arrange thatt for tomorrow if you like and put the magazine shoot to Friday."  
  
"Shit, I forgot."  
  
"Forgot what?"  
  
"Cancel or re-schedule anything this Friday."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"There's a dinner-dance."  
  
"A what??"  
  
"A d-- forget it. Just do as I said."  
  
"Well, if that's the way you want it. Clarina Crescent tomorrow at three, okay?"  
  
"What?!! Bloody hell, I just said--"  
  
"Come to Amploid Plaza on Thursday at around one-thirty - I'll try to re-arrange the ad for that time. See ya!"  
  
"Damn it, I don't want any magazine shoots Sha--"  
  
The dial-tone sounded.  
  
Cursing violently, Sanji shut his cell-phone lid angrily before mumbling to himself as he sank down into the grasses behind the main building. Running a hand through his blonde hair, he bit his cigarette end and let out a frustrated yell. He threw his mobile-phone onto the soft earth and kicked hard onto the wall of the school before collapsing onto the grass and seething.  
  
'I feel a bit empty,'  
  
Sanji thought,  
  
'Wonder why...'  
  
He vented his anger out through vile words without ever noticing the fact that his kick had spread a spider-web of deep cracks into the back, cemented concrete wall of the building.  
  
  
  
'Geez, I can't believe myself...'  
  
Usopp thought on his way to the Grand Line university, a package in his right hand and his toolbag in the other.  
  
He had to admit to himself that he had over-reacted to Nami that afternoon. It was completely true that the Nami in his dream had hurt him a lot, but he was surprised at himself. He had clearly been more hurt than he had thought.  
  
It wasn't Nami's fault. No, how *could* it be? He had weird dreams with her figure in it, and sure Nami humoured him by showing interest in them, but that didn't mean he had to bother calling her out just to get mad at what had happened in a *dream*... Usopp sighed, scuffling up to the main entrance of the university.  
  
'I hope she's not too mad...'  
  
As he hopped up the stairs to the main building, he remembered how he had felt when he had called her cell-phone to have a 'talk'. He had felt... *urgent*. Why? He didn't know, but he had definitely chosen the wrong way to bring up the dream when talking to her. It had led him to a totally different path that blew up between him and Nami. The urgency was gone now, so Usopp still didn't know why he had felt it in the first place.  
  
He leaned against locker 202 with a low sigh, swinging the package on its string about as he waited. Sure enough, the digits '10:34' glowed on the watch at his wrist as the familiar orange-head popped around the corner.  
  
Usopp sighed, straightening and watching Nami's expression change from surprise to a cold glare. He opened his mouth resignedly to say something; an apology, a greeting; anything to make her eyes less dark, when suddenly, the volume around him died down.  
  
It was late, so it hadn't been much noisy to start with. However, the silence startled Usopp as he became suddenly aware of the thorough lack of the usual thrum of buzzing insects, giggles and chattering from the surrounding students, the creaking swing of opening and shutting doors below and above... The scene before Usopp's eyes fell into a haze of a swirl of colour, his mind jarring from a sudden jolt that racked him as the colours sharpened to form outlines...  
  
His eyes widened considerably behind the glasses as a girl with short orange hair started towards him, her hair whipping in a salty wind, her mouth opening in a silent cry as she stumbled, her fingers fumbling onto wooden railings beside her. The floor below was rocking from un-natural waves from the ocean below, the skies stormily grey and dark, rain pelting down in sheets. It was so difficult to see her through the rain, and it was still deathly silent...!  
  
Then he saw, behind her, another figure...? A blur of black, white and green, and Usopp recognised the figure - it was the swordsman from his dream...! As soon as he recognised the swordsman, the whole scene seemed to clear slightly as he noticed that the figure had a black bandanna over his head, obscuring half his eyes from view... he was yelling something, something that Usopp couldn't hear through the almost suffocating silence...  
  
Then there was red. Red all over the place, splattering and staining... a white-hot sear of heat ran through Usopp as his vision filled with the skies, the dark clouds mounting as rain-drops blotted out the scene. He gasped as sound came right back on for a split second, the roaring of wind and rain overcoming him as the cry of an unmistakeably familiar voice screamed in despair---  
  
He blinked. Grey concrete and white lights in the ceiling met his eyes, and a mass of kids brushed past him as they went to retrieve things from metal cabinets behind him. Talking in excited and friendly tones sounded strange, and their clothes looked stiff and unnatural. He looked at the girl approaching him with an icy expression, long orange locks held away from her face with clips.   
  
'What am I doing here?'  
  
Usopp wondered in complete confusion. This wasn't normal... no, it wasn't only not normal-- panic seemed to fill him as he realised - everything around him - it wasn't-- it just wasn't -- RIGHT----  
  
"What's with the hair?!"  
  
He blurted out, and as soon as the words tumbled out of his mouth, every thing else did too; all the questions, all the confusion, all the unfamiliarity. It felt like a rush of compression escaping from the area, relieving the tension that Usopp had been suppressed so heavily with.  
  
Suddenly, Usopp was met with a very surprised Nami amidst a crowd of staring university students, the package in his hand hanging limply from a string. A new sort of confusion filled him now.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
He said. Nami stared at him for a moment before shaking her head quickly and shoving the young engineer off her locker.  
  
'What just happened...??'  
  
Usopp wondered. The moment he opened his mouth and the seconds before the sudden question were disjointed. Something had happened, he was sure of it, but his mind was blank now. He studied her hair. There wasn't anything different... was there? Nami shut her locker, a set of note-books in her arms as she twiddled the combination.  
  
She turned to face him, her eyes analysing his as he blinked, looking disturbed.  
  
"...What is it?"  
  
He remembered what he was doing there, and held up the package in his hands with a small smile.  
  
"Chocolate-chip cookies?"  
  
He said, his tone hopeful. Her eyes narrowed.  
  
"If you're thinking that I've forgotten the whole thing, you're badly mistaken,"  
  
She snapped, and Usopp's eyes fell to the ground with a cringe before she continued,  
  
"Unless those cookies are worth a bowl of cookies 'n' cream."  
  
He looked at her in surprise as she snatched the package off him and pulled out a cookie. Grinning, she bit into one as Usopp couldn't help but let out a small laugh of relief.  
  
"You're not mad?"  
  
Usopp said with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Nope,"  
  
She replied,  
  
"Not after these. Thanks Usopp... I'm sorry I didn't take your news too well. We'll talk it out another time, okay?"  
  
He felt gladness sweep through him as she finished the cookie while sliding the notebooks into her bag, and they exchanged grins.  
  
"Oi."  
  
Usopp glanced up to see a guy, obviously another university student. Green strands of hair could be seen below the blue cloth that was being used like a bandanna, much like his own checked one. Strong familiarity flitted through his mind, although Usopp could practically swear he'd never seen the dude before. He consented to staring.  
  
Nami turned, and a geometry set was handed to her.  
  
"Thanks again."  
  
The guy said lightly, walking towards another guy with sunglasses.  
  
"No problem."  
  
Nami answered with a wave. She nestled the plastic case between two notebooks before zipping her bag closed.  
  
"Who is that guy?"  
  
Usopp said curiously as his eyes followed the retreating back of the green-head. He quickly turned back to Nami when the guy turned around quite suddenly.  
  
"That's Johnny. You know him."  
  
"No, the other guy with him. You know, the one who just gave you back your geometry set."  
  
"Oh, yeah. That's some new guy... I forgot his name."  
  
Usopp accumulated a huge sweatdrop at this.  
  
"You lent him your geometry set and you don't know his name?"  
  
"No, I don't. Sheesh, lighten up - I wasn't born to remember names. Take a cookie."  
  
He obliged as he complained,  
  
"Still, I'm sure it was only a few minutes ago..."  
  
"Yeah, that's exactly it,"  
  
Nami retorted as the two walked down the corridoors,  
  
"I've only known him for a few minutes!"  
  
  
  
"What's wrong, Zoro?"  
  
Johnny asked, looking over his shoulder as well but failing to see anything abnormal. Zoro shook his head.  
  
"Nothing..."  
  
'It felt like someone was staring at me...'  
  
Zoro thought with a slightly furrowed brow, the back of his head tickling,  
  
'Maybe it's my bandanna? No....'  
  
"The guy we're gonna meet's Yosaku,"  
  
Johnny's voice interrupted his thoughts,  
  
"he can be a real moron, but he's been my best friend since third grade and everything, and I can tell you he's not a bad guy, really."  
  
"Yosaku?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
Johnny said with a small, sympathetic smile,  
  
"Just don't mention the dinner dance to him, or else he'll collapse into tears again. He just got rejected this morning by Carrie."  
  
Zoro raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Dinner dance?"  
  
Johnny nodded, surprised.  
  
"Didn't you know?"  
  
"I came this morning,"  
  
Zoro explained.  
  
"Oh, I see. Well, there's a dinner dance coming soon. It's on this Friday evening."  
  
Johnny looked at Zoro curiously.  
  
"Do you have a girlfriend? You can bring her over to the dinner dance if you want to."  
  
"Hell, no, I don't have a girlfriend."  
  
Zoro replied, looking at Johnny with bit of a bewildered expression. Johnny looked just as confusedly surprised.  
  
"Uh, sorry. Didn't know you were sexist or anything."  
  
"I'm not,"  
  
Zoro said, still looking at Johnny weirdly. Johnny hesitated before starting,  
  
"Are you homo--"  
  
"No! I'm not gay. It's just... well...,"  
  
Zoro sighed before saying,  
  
"In my other college, couples were banned."  
  
Johnny laughed so hard his sunglasses nearly fell off. Zoro had a huge sweatdrop as he said,  
  
"Uh, I'm serious."  
  
The guy stopped laughing to look at him incredulously.  
  
"That's so... weird!!"  
  
Johnny exclaimed. Zoro frowned.  
  
"Well, I find it just as weird that this uni seems to allow it."  
  
Johnny shook his head.  
  
"This uni isn't the only one. In fact, your college must be the only one that forbids couples. However, I do believe that Yosaku and I can help you."  
  
"Help me what?"  
  
His companion threw up his hands exasperatedly.  
  
"Snag a date, of course!"  
  
"No thanks,"  
  
Zoro replied,  
  
"I'm probably not even going to the dinner dance. I've no interest."  
  
"No interest!"  
  
Johnny squawked.  
  
"Nope. Now where's the cafeteria?"  
  
Zoro asked, looking around and heading towards a hallway.  
  
"That's to the girl's bathroom,"  
  
Johnny said hastily, dragging Zoro away,  
  
"We'll talk more about this after I introduce Yosaku to you. What other subjects do you take?"  
  
  
  
As soon as Zoro stepped out of sight, he, Nami and Usopp were suddenly drained of a feeling they had had inside themselves that they didn't even notice. Zoro found it rather disturbingly familiar while Nami and Usopp wondered but did not voice it out loud.  
  
  
  
(( Thanks for the reviews! ^^* Hurray! I'm very happy, maybe the idea works out after all. ^^* But I must digress that this chapter really sucks. -.-;; Gomen ne, yaoi fans, but this fic is not exactly pro-yaoi... it's pro-friendship though. ^^; Anyways - here are a few things to sort out about the story and the next chap:  
1. ~Where is Luffy?~ I didn't write about him yet... so you won't know until I do. ^^;;;  
2. ~"An AU fic... or is it?"~ The reason why I added the question is because... well, as you read the fic, you start to wonder. It's not a complete AU fic... but it's got the elements of it. ^^;;  
3. ~The next chapter...~ is not the dinner-dance. If I get pro-reviews [^_^*] I'll stick in the next chapter, which complies of a couple of important things that need to occur before the dinner-dance. One major fact; Zoro is going to the dinner-dance whether he likes it or not. _^;;  
4. ~Usopp~ He's kinda like my device for dreams and visions, so bear with me, okay? ^^;;)) 


	6. The End of the First Day

Yawning, a certain green-head plopped onto his bed, and promptly fell deep asleep. Sanji stared.  
  
Not only had he been unable to stop him from sleeping so abruptly and squeeze in an insult or two, but he had just been completely ignored. That really nettled him. He grumbled to himself, wondering how on earth Zoro could sleep so easily, when he realised his blanket was missing - and it was on Zoro's bed!!  
  
_BAM._  
  
"What is it?!"  
  
Sanji was pleased to finally have aroused a sort of reaction from Zoro. It appeared he grew quite cranky when he was woken up. He put that into his mind before saying monotonously,  
  
"You can take a blanket from the cabinet over there. That's mine."  
  
With that, he snatched away the sheet and grinned in triumph to himself. There was a long pause. Sanji wondered what sort of expressions were reeling through Zoro's face now. Annoyance was definitely one thing.  
  
_Hehe... that's what you get for needling me._  
  
Sanji turned, biting hard on his cigarette to keep from smiling - only to face-fault at the fact that Zoro had somehow mysteriously managed to take a blanket from the cabinet and was now sleeping soundly with it.  
  
"I'll kill you one day!!"  
  
Sanji vented out his aggravation, then stopped. He frowned. Something that felt like a funny sort of jolt shot through him when he said that. Slowly, he repeated himself.  
  
"I'll kill you one day."  
  
Again, it sounded so familiar! When had he said it before?  
  
_Oh yeah,_  
  
He thought easily,  
  
_I told him that yesterday._  
  
He dismissed it... for three seconds. His brow furrowed.  
  
_Huh? He came today! Then why...?_  
  
His memory was fresh, though - he was positive that he had promised to ditch Zoro into the closest whirlpool just the day before...?  
  
_Whirlpool? Whoa, whoa. Time to go to bed, young man._  
  
However, the way the words 'I'll kill you one day' seemed to roll off his tongue like he said everyday - which he didn't, of course. In fact, strangely enough, he was as sure as the thought that he'd said those words to the green-head yesterday as the fact that he'd never said those words in his whole entire life - until now, of course. That was demented.  
  
He tried again, though.  
  
"...I'll kill you one day..."  
  
That surge, again! He was sure of it this time - he'd definitely said this sometime to Zoro, but it hadn't been today. It'd been before it!  
  
_But how? I've never met him before..._  
  
Or had he? This was confusing. He was sub-conciously repeating the words over and over again.  
  
"...I'll kill you one day... I'll kill you one day... I'll kill you one day..."  
  
Sanji put a little 'feeling' into his words, feeling disturbed by the nagging feeling he was getting from doing this and wanting to resolve what felt unfinished by him doing this.  
  
"I'll kill you one day... _I'll kill you one day, bastard!_"  
  
_That was it!!_ An immediate rush of recognition rushed into Sanji -- and right out of him as an MD player hit his temple, hard.  
  
"Damn it, _I'll_ kill _you_ one day if you don't shut up!!"  
  
Zoro growled, glaring at Sanji. At the crankiness, for some reason, Sanji felt a grin creeping onto his face.  
  
"Aww, sorry. Did I wake ya up? Just rehearsing for drama."  
  
"I didn't ask,"  
  
Zoro muttered. Then he added,  
  
"Rehearse a little louder, I don't think the dean quite heard you."  
  
"Oh, ha, ha."  
  
Sanji replied, but he secretly felt rather pleased that he had managed to stir Zoro to this point of actually getting mad at him. After all, it had been a one-sided hatred thing for a quite a while.  
  
"Do you have to practice drama right now?"  
  
Zoro asked with a raised eyebrow. Sanji shrugged.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't, but I think I should since I won't have too much time this week."  
  
_Damn, that's true. I should actually be rehearsing for drama._ Sanji realised with a small groan.  
  
"Why? Your week's filled with photoshoots?"  
  
Zoro asked. Sanji's eyes darkened, his teeth gnashing into his cigarette.  
  
"Bloody hell, yeah. Damn manager and his stupid dumbass whims. Geez."  
  
He glared at his feet as Zoro looked at him before commenting,  
  
"I take it you don't like photoshoots?"  
  
"It's a bit more than that. Then there's the dinner dance this Friday."  
  
"Oh,"  
  
Zoro said with a nod,  
  
"That."  
  
"So who're you going with?"  
  
Sanji asked. Zoro shook his head.  
  
"I'm not going."  
  
The model stared at Zoro before bursting into laughter.  
  
"You're not going?!! Didn't you make any friends yet??"  
  
Zoro looked at him with slight annoyance, an eye twitching at the response.  
  
"I did. It's just that I'm not going."  
  
Sanji smirked at him.  
  
"You mean, your friends didn't tell you?"  
  
"Huh? Tell me what?"  
  
"It's a compulsory dance for our year."  
  
There was a pause as Zoro took that sentence in, his eyes widening.  
  
"You've got to be kidding. You mean--"  
  
"Yeah, you have to go whether you like it or not. Why don't you bring your girlfriend over if you have any?"  
  
"I don't have one. Geez... What happens if I don't go?"  
  
Sanji rolled his eyes, remembering the time he hadn't gone to a dinner dance.  
  
"The reason why it's compulsory is because the dean wants us to be friendlier with each other. So he'll send a social worker to visit you since he'll proclaim you as a 'loner' if you don't show up."  
  
"Oh shit. How long is it?"  
  
"Well, it starts at six thirty and it ends at around midnight."  
  
"...I hate this university."  
  
Sanji snubbed his cigarette into an ash tray at his end table, shrugging again with a bit of a grin as he reached out to turn off the light,  
  
"Get used to it."  
  
  
  
"I'll talk to you again sometime this week, okay?"  
  
Usopp said as he walked out of the university's cafeteria with Nami.  
  
"Yeah. I'll see you then, too."  
  
They shared a smile of relief before he waved and walked down the left passageway as Nami headed up the right towards the stairs.  
  
Usopp was glad that they had managed to clear things up a little. At least they were back on friendly terms again. This was the first time though, he mused as he walked, that she and he had ever reacted this seriously.  
  
He moved his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he hurried down the main entrance's steps. He wanted to stop by a convenience store to pick up a new collection of bolts, and thus had to hurry before it closed. It was nine forty-five, and the store closed at ten - so he had to run.  
  
Passing the green lawns and stepping onto gravel, he walked quickly, passing the blue and white buildings. As tan brick buildings came into view, he noticed a huge commotion right in the middle of the street. News vans were parked randomly about as reporters and camera men stood strewn before a tall cream and marble building. He really didn't understand the media sometimes. How desperate were they just to get a story loads of other newspapers were going to publish anyways?  
  
Shaking his head, he continued down the pavement towards the convenience store when suddenly, his heart clenched.  
  
Man, a lot of things are happening to me today, he thought -- then his chest gave a painful *thump*, and Usopp was forced to stop walking from the pain. The glass doors of the building across swung open, and the cameras began to flash like crazy, illuminating the street with lightning-like flashes. Usopp glanced at the reporters starting to scream out questions with disgust, when the pain in his chest intensified. He winced visibly, then stopped.  
  
He stared. A young woman with blonde hair was walking, or at least trying to walk, through the mob of reporters, and time seemed to slow down for Usopp. He caught her honey-blonde hair, violet eyes and pale complexion before she disappeared amongst the heads of reporters and cameramen, huge black cameras blocking the view.  
  
_ IT WAS HER._  
  
Time spurted forward again, and Usopp found his legs running as fast as possible towards the crowd, his hands pulling away bodies as he pushed through the mob.  
  
_Usopp-san._  
  
Soft laughter echoed through his mind as he pushed past surprised yelps and yells.  
  
_So what story are you telling me today?_  
  
He shoved a reporter and a camera aside, ignoring their responses of anger and tried to see above the heads but failing.  
  
_I'll..._  
  
Desperately pushing, he finally reached the clear in the center of the mob, where the only protection between the girl and the reporters was what was clearly her manager, who was shouting at the reporters to back off so they could walk to their car.  
  
_I'll be waiting._  
  
Usopp's heart was pounding loudly in his chest, his ribs aching and his throat throbbing, and his brought his eyes upwards. The girl turned to look in surprise at the sudden young man amidst all the ruckus. Her violet eyes widened, and she gasped as their eyes met in startling recognition.  
  
His glasses slipped down his nose as she stared at him. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, and a hand reached out towards him. He looked at her, and the pain in his chest disappated.  
  
"U--"  
  
"Ka--"  
  
Suddenly, a bright white camera flash blinded Usopp, and he let out a strangled cry before he was swallowed back into the crowd of reporters. He tried to push past them again, but he was the one who was pushed back. He landed on the hard cement as he was finally pushed back out, but he stood up again, desperate for just another look at her, the pain in his chest back and knife-like as it stabbed at him.  
  
The reporters then stopped hollering, but the cameras continued to flash. Usopp looked around, even jumping to see what was going on, when the roar of an engine seared through the air. Heart sinking, Usopp watched as a black car parted the reporters like the red sea and raced past them, its shaded windows showing nothing to ease Usopp's pain.  
  
Even as the ache in his chest dulled into nothing, Usopp stared, continuing to stand. The convenience store stayed forgotten as the digits on his watch shone 10:02.  
  
He had missed something. He had missed something terrible. Out of all the weird occurances today, this one has to be the only one I at least partially understand, Usopp thought. That girl was the girl from his dreams. The girl who had laughed with him, and given him something to truly want and need to protect.  
  
He had finally found her.  
  
Kaya.  
  
  
  
**A/N: Sorry I took so long to add another chapter - and I'm sorry it's so short - however, I'll be adding chapters more frequently now. ^^;; Thanks for the absolutely fabulous way ou people responded to this fic. It has made me so happy I can't describe it. Anyways, the next chapter... is the dinner dance. The dinner dance spans over more than one chapter, so I'll either post them all at once or just one at a time. I dunno what! ^_^;; So we'll see. Thanks again for your kind words. ^^***  
  



	7. Dinner Dance Preparation

A/N: My sister thinks I should tell you this. Uh, I use a strange format of using these quotation marks: " as speech marks, and these quotation marks: ' as a way of expressing the thoughts of a character, rather than using italics. So just... bear that in mind if you didn't work it out before. ^^;;  
  
  
  
"We'll see you at the auditorium, then."  
  
Yosaku said, and Zoro nodded.  
  
"See you two."  
  
"Later!"  
  
Johnny and Yosaku chorused before heading towards the upper floors while Zoro headed down, sighing.  
  
How had two days sped by so quickly?  
  
  
  
"Ooh, that one over there."  
  
Jenna squealed, pointing at a student heading down the steps with a blue bandanna. Tashigi, reading a book while she ate on a table opposite, paused to look. She didn't see him, and continued to read, although Jenna's voice disrupted the text her eyes were trying to read.  
  
"He's new - just came two days ago - and he's so cool. He's got piercings in all the right places, and his build's really good,"  
  
She gushed,  
  
"Not to mention that he's really good looking! He's mine!"  
  
"But how about Ross?"  
  
"Oh please! It's been a month already. I'm going to snag the new guy."  
  
All the girls giggled as Tashigi rolled her eyes. Was that all they talked about? Boys? Sad, she thought with a shake of her head as she sipped her apple juice.  
  
Jenna was the 'leader', so call it, of her posse - the one who hissed in her ear all the time, who Tashigi knew as the Bitch. Carrie and Marie came next, then Casey and Yuina were sort of in the background, but just as bitchy as the others.  
  
"What're staring at, raven?"  
  
Tashigi glanced up to see Carrie smirking at her.  
  
"Do you wanna talk with us? Dreaming you could be part of our group?"  
  
"Bitchier than usual, Carrie,"  
  
Tashigi answered calmly. She surprised herself; she had never had the guts to say anything in that tone back to any of the bitches. However, she felt much braver at the moment - because of Jonathan.  
  
"Is the idea of Jon with me that unbearable?"  
  
Carrie's eyes narrowed, although her smirk was still plastered on her face.  
  
"I wouldn't be so cocky, Tashigi,"  
  
She said silkily. Tashigi rolled her eyes, pushing herself away from the table and standing up. She had to get ready now if she wanted to be at least a bit presentable at the dinner dance tonight. She still glowed at the fact that this was the first dinner-dance she was going to with a date since... the time she had been with... she shook her head quickly to rid herself of the memory. All the other times, she had managed to make up false excuses to avoid going to the social worker.  
  
But with Jonathan... Maybe she could pull her social life together from now. Just maybe...  
  
She couldn't resist smiling as she made her way out of the cafeteria, but for some reason the sound of high-pitched laughter coming from the table struck dischord in her. Against her better judgement, she ignored it.  
  
  
"I don't believe this."  
  
Zoro muttered, looping a black belt through the loops of his trousers. Sanji grinned at him.  
  
The two students were busy getting ready in the last twenty minutes before the dinner dance. Typically, most of the girls had been getting ready since hours ago, but these two only required a couple of minutes to change and add cologne.  
  
"Wear a jacket,"  
  
Sanji warned Zoro as he noticed him rolling up the sleeves of his white-shirt,  
  
"It can get freezing in there."  
  
"I'll manage,"  
  
Zoro retorted, buttoning his folded sleeves into place,  
  
"I don't get cold that easily. I'm not like you, pretty boy."  
  
A nerve twitched on Sanji's temple.  
  
"Stop calling me that."  
  
"I'll call you whatever I want."  
  
"....Cabbage-head."  
  
"Cabbage-head?!!"  
  
"I'll call you whatever I want."  
  
Annoyed at the stupid smirk on Sanji's face, Zoro stood up and stalked towards the door. Sanji raised his eyebrows in surprise.  
  
"Hey, hey, hold on! Where's your tie?"  
  
"I didn't bring one."  
  
Zoro replied. He hadn't exactly expected a dinner dance within the same week of his arrival, after all. He also didn't want to pull out the tie his mom had given him just in case of a formal occasion. It was a baby-pink and yellow checkered tie that he wasn't really proud of.  
  
"You can't go down without a tie."  
  
"Sure I can."  
  
"No you can't. You'll be the only one not wearing one."  
  
Zoro hesitated. In all truth, he didn't really want to stand out - especially when he was new already.  
  
"Er..."  
  
"Here... I'll lend you one."  
  
Zoro raised his eyebrows in surprise at Sanji's sudden charity as he tossed him a long piece of navy blue silk.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"...Nothing."  
  
He slung it beneath his collar and began to tie it. However, all he got was a ridiculously complicated knot.  
  
"Er..."  
  
"Having problems, cabbage-head?"  
  
Sanji asked with an annoyingly superior grin,  
  
"Need help?"  
  
"No, I don't,"  
  
Zoro said hotly as he pried the knot loose,  
  
"You can keep to yourself you stupid cook."  
  
There was a long silence as Zoro attempted to tie his tie again. He was concentrating so hard on his tie he didn't notice Sanji's mouth was hanging open, his cigarette sagging out at the side.  
  
"H-hey."  
  
"Yeah, what?"  
  
Zoro snapped crankily as he discovered yet another way to tangle silk.  
  
"When... did I tell you I like to cook?"  
  
Blinking, he looked up to see Sanji looking at him strangely.  
  
"No."  
  
"Did anyone else tell you?"  
  
"No."  
  
Zoro repeated. He looked curiously at the blonde before asking,  
  
"Why the hell are you asking me this?"  
  
"You just called me a stupid cook."  
  
Did he? Zoro backtracked his memory. Yeah... he did. He called him that all the time.  
  
"Yeah, I know. I call you that all the time. What's so surprising?"  
  
Rolling his eyes and covering his terribly tied tie with a hand, Zoro walked out of the dorm room, ignoring the alarm bell at the back of his head. He silenced it so he could think of more pressing matters at the moment.  
  
He couldn't help but feel nervous. What was he supposed to do at a dinner dance? Eat dinner and dance? Hopefully it's that simple, he thought, hopefully. Man, he hated these events. They could really live without them.  
  
  
  
Sanji stared after the leaving green-head. Something was wrong. His chest tightened. Something seriously weird was going on.   
  
It wasn't just now, either...  
  
'I'll kill you one day, bastard.'  
  
Those words still resonated in his mind like an annoying fly, refusing to go away, and he knew something was very important about those words. What was it, though? He'd have to find another time to think about it, he thought as he glanced at his watch, he had five minutes to get to the auditorium.  
  
As he walked out of the dorm, shutting off the light and the door before lighting a new cigarette, Sanji mumbled,  
  
"We just met two days ago, genius. You have never called me that."  
  
  
  
Threading her fingers through her hair, Nami checked that the red glitter spread evenly through her orange tresses before running a comb through it just one more time.  
  
"Ready yet, Nami?"  
  
Her blue-haired room-mate asked, peeking around the bathroom door.  
  
"Yeah, almost,"  
  
Nami replied, leaning closely to the mirror to flick off a tiny clump of mascara nestling on an eyelash,  
  
"Just tell me - is there any glitter on my dress?"  
  
She stood up and gave a spin for her friend, wine-red material flowing around her thighs before settling just above her knees.  
  
"Yeah, loads,"  
  
Her friend replied with a bit of a sweat-drop.  
  
"Oh crap!!"  
  
Nami panicked, trying to shake off the glitter but fruitlessly,  
  
"This is really bad!!"  
  
"No, it's not,"  
  
Her friend said quickly, smiling brightly,  
  
"Look! It'll sparkle under the lights nicely."  
  
"But it's red glitter, no one will notice it,"  
  
Nami said with a frown, when her friend grinned and grabbed the small container of silver glitter. Without even giving a second for Nami, she shook a whole lot of silver glitter all over Nami's dress, making Nami gasp.  
  
"VIVI!!"  
  
"Relax. Shake it a little. It'll look fantastic."  
  
It did, Nami had to admit after shaking most of the glitter off. Since the lights were dim in the auditorium, she knew it would sparkle softly. She gave her room-mate a hug, making her squeal because the teal silk of her dress now began to shine silver.  
  
"Nami!!"  
  
"Aww, I was just paying you back the favour,"  
  
Nami laughed, and picking up her hand-bag and Vivi's arm, she said happily,  
  
"Let's go!"  
  
  
  
Brilliantly coloured streamers hung from wall to wall, the crepe paper looped over obstructions like the spotlights that shone above the stage. Someone had sprayed white frost-like patterns with an aerosol all over the large glass plates of the windows, and multi-coloured filters had been put on the lights, lighting the dance floor red and yellow.  
  
"Why the hell are there snow patterns on the windows when it's not even Christmas?"  
  
Zoro asked Johnny as they entered the auditorium. Johnny took a look at the windows and opened his mouth to reply, when a piercing sound caused everyone to cringe but turn to look at the stage, where Mr. Harrison stood holding a microphone.  
  
"Sorry about that."  
  
He said sheepishly, and the students gathered around the stage. Zoro looked around, seeing that the center of the auditorium was clear of anything, and white-clothed tables were set in front of longer dining tables covered in silver platters and serving cutlery. He spotted a stack of plates at the far end of the auditorium.  
  
"Well, just in case you didn't know, it is the Grand Line's tenth year anniversary, and we love to celebrate anniversaries with these classy 'dinner dances', don't we? Although it's more of a eat and dance till you drop!"  
  
"Blah blah blah,"  
  
Zoro muttered, ignoring the fact that the people behind him who had been listening with rapt attention were now glaring at him.  
  
"Socialising in an aspect of Grand Line that we take very seriously,"  
  
Spoke the dean,  
  
"So I hope we have as much fun as food and dancing, alright?"  
  
Suddenly, his eyes were riveted on Zoro. Startled, Zoro looked away, but even as Mr. Harrison continued, he could still feel his eyes boring into him. Zoro groaned inwardly. 


	8. Gold Earrings and Frostbite

Tashigi looked around worriedly, trying to look over the heads of students for Jonathan.  
  
'Where is he?'  
  
She thought, her eyes glancing about as Mr. Harrison yabbered on and on about the school's achievements in the past ten years,  
  
'He's over fifteen minutes late...'  
  
She was starting to feel extremely awkward. The black dress suddenly felt exposing, especially since it was strapless, and the ribbon tied loosely around her waist for just decoration felt stupid. Her high heels made her feel uncannily clumsy, and her sleeked down hair felt weird and awkward.  
  
Where was Jonathan?? She nervously bit her lip. At least she still had her glasses on.  
  
  
  
"So how does this work?"  
  
Zoro asked his companions as they each grabbed a plate.  
  
"Oh, it's really basic,"  
  
Yosaku said as he selected some cocktail sausages to go onto his plate,  
  
"You just sit on a table, eat, and occasionally dance."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
Zoro said in relief, when Johnny casually added,  
  
"Oh, and at the end, you have to stay to listen to all the awards."  
  
"Awards?"  
  
Zoro asked, his heart sinking. He didn't want to listen to anything after this - he wanted to go up and collapse on his hammock...? Huh? Now where did that come from, Zoro wondered.  
  
"Zoro?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
He snapped back to attention, dismissing what he had previously been pondering,  
  
"Sorry. Uh, can't I leave early?"  
  
"Of course you can."  
  
Yosaku laughed, when Mr. Harrison popped out of no where and gave a booming laugh as he clapped Zoro on the back.  
  
"So, newbie!! How's life so far?"  
  
He asked, beaming. Zoro stared at him, taking a few seconds to reply,  
  
"Uh, great."  
  
"And you're room-mate's treating you fine?"  
  
"Er... yeah."  
  
"Excellent!!"  
  
Mr. Harrison laughed, gripping Zoro's shoulders and shaking him a bit,  
  
"Just excellent. Are you here alone?"  
  
He asked. Confused, Zoro looked at where Johnny and Yosaku were -- only to find them missing. He noticed them standing many feet away from him, obviously having had run away, and were looking greatly interested in a platter of chicken wings. A nerve twitched in Zoro's head, but he merely said,  
  
"No. I'm here with some friends."  
  
"That's great. So, Zoro, I hope you have fun here, so-cia-li-sing,"  
  
The dean emphasised each syllable with a shaking of Zoro, then smiling he continued,  
  
"Be a good lad and stay behind so I can consult you about something with your timetable. Is that alright?"  
  
"Er, yeah."  
  
"Wonderful. I'll see you at the end of the dinner dance."  
  
Mr. Harrison strolled away with a last clap on Zoro's back.  
  
Zoro stood stunned for a moment, the chance of being able to go earlier having had eluded him, when he realised he was holding up the line. The people behind Zoro were all holding plates and looking curiously at who the 'newbie' was. Feeling a warmth creep up his neck, Zoro hurried along, flipping random things onto his plate and catching up to his two 'friends', who were now staring intently at a tureen of cream of mushroom soup.  
  
"Thanks for abandoning me,"  
  
Zoro muttered, and they started. Then they laughed nervously.  
  
"Uh... we're in a spot of trouble with the dean."  
  
Johnny admitted.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Well, it's a long story, but it starts with me deciding to wear a pair of trousers that--"  
  
Yosaku began, when Zoro urged them forward.  
  
"Okay, okay, you can tell me later. Just keep walking."  
  
After a few more random selections of food, the three headed to a table and sat down. Cutlery and napkins had been set before all the seats, so Zoro picked up a fork and speared a sausage on his plate and dug into his dinner, listening to Johnny and Yosaku's story about the pair of trousers and spray-paint.  
  
  
  
Tashigi couldn't eat; she waited nervously at the back entrance of the auditorium.  
  
'Where on Earth is he?'  
  
She thought concernedly. She could slip out now, but she didn't want Jonathan to arrive while she wasn't there. As she waited, a sense of creeping dread filled her. And again, against her better judgement she did her best to ignore it. However, she couldn't ignore the strange echo of the girls in the cafeteria laughing after her.  
  
  
  
Twirling a screwdriver in his hand, Usopp pocketed it and looked at the appliance before him; a television set he was supposed to fix for one of the charity houses he helped sometimes.  
  
"Let's see now..."  
  
Connecting the plug to its socket, he took a deep breath and switched the television on. Fuzzy lines appeared, then thickened and coloured before showing a hazy screen that barely showed the outline of the Eiffel Tower. Groaning, Usopp turned the television around and switched it off, then set about to toggling the VID section of wires.  
  
Her face resurfaced in his mind again, and he sighed. It was impossible to not think about her. Ever since he had seen her on Wednesday evening, he kept replaying the scene; the few seconds he had seen her amidst the shouts and flashes. His chest had hurt so much, but he still remembered clearly. Her eyes... they had filled with tears, and she had reached a pale hand towards him, her lips mouthing just one syllable... the first syllable to his name.  
  
He had also finally remembered her name as soon as he had seen her up close... Kaya. He had never remembered the name of the girl in his dreams. Strangely enough, he had never actually entirely connected himself to who he was in the dream. After all, they were only dreams, right? But...  
  
Thinking deeper... there was Nami in his dreams as well. Not only was that weird... her reaction to the dream he had described to her... He hadn't told her about Kaya yet. He didn't want to bring up his dreams in front of her again -- at least, not until the week ended. But he had also had a dream the previous night... the Nami in his dreams had had a terrible, heart-wrenching past that had woken him up with tears in his eyes. And as if that wasn't enough... she also saved his life.  
  
He shivered at the images in his head of her stabbing her hand, the blood soaking her and him, then him bringing a hand dripping with the dark liquid to his eyes before escaping into clear aqua waters, the crimson dissolving... he shook his head, and tried to concentrate on clipping the plastic off two wires when Kaya's voice echoed in his head again. Yes... line after line from his dreams had come in a rush to him while he had been running to see her.  
  
During that time... he hadn't been himself. At least, he hadn't felt like himself -- he had felt as though... he was the Usopp from his dreams. The Kaya from his dreams was in reality as well, and had known his name. He was sure of it; she had recognised him, just like he had recognised her. There was also a Nami in his dreams that existed in reality as well... and... the Usopp in his dreams... well, that was him.  
  
How was it that someone from his dreams existed and actually managed to recognise him? Maybe she dreams what I dream, Usopp thought. Now I feel like I'm in some sci-fi film... Usopp sighed. All I know, he thought, is that I really need to see her... I need to talk to her, know what's happening... because something seriously weird is going on, he concluded as he tucked the finished wires into the back of the television. Spinning it around, he switched it on again to see if he had succeeded.  
  
The clear image of Kaya looking over a lake on a bridge, a breeze fluttering past her soft blonde hair and lilac dress appeared. Her features were accentuated by the moonlight, and her voice was in a voice-over of the scene.  
  
"Should I go to France?"  
  
Her soft voice questioned above soft, flute music. Usopp stared before scooting towards the screen.  
  
"She's an actress?!!"  
  
He yelped as her voice wondered about seeing Colin again. Staring at her on the screen in wonder, he noticed her lips curl into a smile. He frowned. That wasn't the smile he knew... that was... a rigid smile. He gripped the sides of the television, trying to squish his long nose in a way so he could take a closer look at the screen, when the screen flickered and disappeared while the sound died.  
  
Cursing, Usopp quickly switched it off and began flurried work on the television's wires again.  
  
By the time he had finished and turned the set on again, however, the drama episode had ended.  
  
  
  
Nami gave a final twirl as the song ended, and gave a dazzling smile to her partner.  
  
"That was fun."  
  
"Y-yeah?"  
  
He stammered, looking pleased and excited as the next song rolled around. He made as though to dance to the next song, but she gave a little curtsey before saying,  
  
"Thanks, Leon,"  
  
Before heading off to the side tables for a drink. Vivi joined her side.  
  
"How many people have you danced with so far?"  
  
Vivi asked, taking note of Nami's flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes.  
  
"Only around four or five guys,"  
  
She said nonchalantly, sipping her Sprite. Vivi tutted, but Nami could tell she didn't really disapprove by the way she was smiling.  
  
"Hey,"  
  
Vivi said suddenly,  
  
"There's that Sandy White guy."  
  
He was dancing with a girl who looked like she in ecstasy to just be dancing with the model. Nami scowled.  
  
"Ugh."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Vivi said in surprise.  
  
"I don't like his vibes,"  
  
She told her, putting down her drink,  
  
"They're so stuck up it's positively painful."  
  
Actually, she wasn't sure of why, but it was always painful to walk past the guy. She didn't like the way her insides went weird whenever she even just looked at him.  
  
"Well, if you say so,"  
  
Vivi said dubiously as she watched Sandy White laugh when the girl accidentally stepped on his toes, blushing like mad while he smiled and gestured to continue dancing.  
  
"Hey, I'm going to see if I can get a dance with the new guy,"  
  
Nami said lightly before walking over to the green-haired student. He had finished dinner, she noticed, but wasn't dancing, and was listening to his friends. Smiling brightly, Nami slid into a chair next to Zoro. She sweat-dropped as the other two companions - Yosaku and Johnny, she knew them - stared at her as though she had just descended from Heaven or something. Ignoring them, she prodded Zoro to get his attention. He looked at her in mild surprise.  
  
"Hey, do you have a date with you?"  
  
He let out a small sigh before saying,  
  
"No, I don't. Man, you don't know how many people have asked me that!"  
  
"You know, I didn't mean to offend you,"  
  
She began, when Zoro shook his head.  
  
"No, I mean... I'm just complaining. Not about you."  
  
They looked at each other for a moment. For some reason, Nami felt very comfortable with the newbie. Strangely enough.  
  
"So are you going to sit there all night or what? Let's dance."  
  
Nami said, tugging on his shirt. He looked slightly scandalised, tensing up, and said rather stoutly,  
  
"I don't dance."  
  
"Oh come on."  
  
He relaxed a little, but remained resolutely in his seat while Nami stood up.  
  
"Sorry... I don't really like dancing."  
  
He said, this time a bit apologetically. She sighed, but smiled, patting his shoulder.  
  
"Fine, fine. Any of you boys up for a dance?"  
  
She asked the other two. From deeply jealous and envious looks at Zoro they changed to astounded expressions, so stunned they couldn't speak for a few seconds. Then Johnny thwacked Yosaku off his chair as he said eagerly,  
  
"Oh, I'd love to!"  
  
"Alright, Johnny,"  
  
She took his arm as he looked startled that she knew his name,  
  
"Let's go then!"  
  
Then she grinned at Zoro and called out,  
  
"What happened to your gold earrings, by the way?"  
  
Then she and Johnny headed towards the center of the auditorium.  
  
Zoro blinked. He didn't own any gold earrings.  
  
  
  
Sanji was greatly distracted from the girl he was dancing with as he eyes followed a glossy orange-head walk from the side-table to another table, where Cabbage-head was sitting. His eyes narrowed as he realised she was asking him for a dance.  
  
'Why does she look at me so coldly, but want to dance with the guy who's only been here two days?!'  
  
He thought unhappily, when he realised the girl had stepped on his shoes for something like the eighth time. He patted her shoulder, assuring her in a soothing voice that it was okay, when the song ended. He smiled charmingly at the girl before him, bowing as he said lightly,  
  
"Thanks for the dance."  
  
As she swooned, he walked to the side table, poured himself some lemonade and drank it slowly. He eyed Nami and Zoro, and noticed that he had rejected her because she walked away with one of Zoro's friends.  
  
'The hell!! How dare he reject such a precious treasure of all four oceans!!'  
  
He thought furiously, gritting his teeth, when he blinked. Precious treasure of all four oceans? Well, sure he loved to lavish the beautiful young woman in his mind, but wasn't that a little ... well, off? Treasure, okay, understandable, but all four oceans... where did that come from?  
  
He then noticed that the song had ended, and Nami was curtseying to Johnny and heading towards a friend of hers. Now was his chance!  
  
Mustering all the courage he had, he walked towards the girl he thought of more than any other girl he knew, and intercepted her path so she had to stop and look up at him.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She said. Sanji couldn't miss the frostiness, but he tried anyway.  
  
"You want to dance the next song?"  
  
He asked, trying to be as suave and as cool as possible. He didn't know why, but for some reason, what this girl thought of him was vitally important to him. Hell, he didn't even know why he was attracted to her... it was something about the way she looked, although the way she looked disturbed Sanji slightly. He had no idea why, but something about her was definitely 'off', but otherwise, he was still attracted to her greatly.  
  
"Yes, I do,"  
  
She said, bringing Sanji back to Earth with joy, when she continued coldly,  
  
"But not with you. Sorry."  
  
With that, she walked past him, his heart plummeting to his stomach. However, determined to know why, he caught her arm as she walked by.  
  
"Hey, hang on,"  
  
He said, feeling hurt,  
  
"Can I at least know why you're so cold to me? You always avoid my looks, and whenever you look at me, it's always--"  
  
He stopped at the sight of her expression. Was it -- pain? She shoved his hand off her arm, her eyes narrowed. She looked up at him defiantly, and Sanji was sure she was about to say something, and braced himself for complete heartbreak. But she didn't say anything.  
  
She looked at him with a bit of a softer expression, and Sanji was sure he saw pain and sadness within her hazel eyes before she turned around without a word and stalked off towards a blue-haired girl.  
  
Sanji was left standing in the middle of the auditorium, his eyes following confusedly the back of the orange-haired girl, rejection smarting painfully in his chest.  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Okay, it's a bit long but I had no choice. XP Okay, I have not finished writing the dinner dance yet, but it looks like it'll be around chapter 11 or 12 when it ends. Why on earth do I take so long to just complete one NIGHT?! You may ask. Well... I do have an awful lot of chcaracters to keep an eye on... except for Luffy of course, lol. XD Sorry folks! I love Luffy too, but... *shakes head* This ain't where he comes out. ^_^;; Bear with me! I warn you that the following chapters may be pretty awful. (Not in context; it's just my writing that makes it bad. XP)  
Thank you sooooo much for reviewing. It totally made my day to see that one chapter collected eight reviews. XD Luv you ppl!! Okay, I've blabbered on long enough... thanks again... ^^* 


	9. Delving Deeper

[A/N:: Naa, I am NOT character-bashing here! Nyaa! Just incase you worry about my sanity. XP Oh, and by the way... sorry for not updating quicker... ^^;;]  
  
  
"Johnny, that was cheap,"  
  
Yosaku complained as Johnny returned with the goofiest smile on his face.  
  
"She's snazzy,"  
  
He said dreamily, sinking his head into his hands,  
  
"And she knows my name..."  
  
"Right."  
  
Zoro said, then realised he didn't know her name. He wondered if she knew his.  
  
"Cheer up, Yosaku. I'm sure she'll be free after dancing with that guy."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
Yosaku took a glance at the dance floor with a big grin, then suddenly choked and began sobbing uncontrollably into Zoro's shoulder.  
  
"H-Hey!! What gives??"  
  
Zoro yelped as he quickly substituted his white-shirt with a napkin, barely managing to avoid Yosaku blowing his nose on him. Johnny looked at the dance floor before tutting and nodding in understanding.  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
Johnny said with the air of wisdom,  
  
"Carrie."  
  
Zoro turned to look at the dance floor.  
  
"The pink-haired girl?"  
  
"Yeah, that's Carrie."  
  
The who Johnny was gesturing to had curls of strawberry-coloured hair wearing a red dress of satin. She was squealing with laughter as a dark-haired guy she was dancing with spun her around.  
  
"Poor Yosaku."  
  
Commented Zoro. Yosaku howled as Johnny patted his back reassuringly.  
  
"So who's she dancing with? I think I've seen him before."  
  
Zoro said thoughtfully. Johnny nodded.  
  
"Yeah, he's in our Maths class,"  
  
He said with a sigh,  
  
"Jonathan Thorpe."  
  
"No wonder."  
  
Zoro said before chugging a can of Mountain Dew as Carrie and her date, having had caught sight of something at the side, walked out of the sight.  
  
  
  
"You're finally here!! What took so long?!!"  
  
"I... had my issues."  
  
He replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with the palm of his hand. The other man laughed.  
  
"It's no wonder no one knows who you really are behind that facade of an electronics company. What was it again, Krow? Fallin Company?"  
  
"Feline Incorporates,"  
  
Krow answered irritably as he adjusted his leather gloves. Eyes and teeth glinted behind him, snickers blending in with the sound of revving engines. He looked around.  
  
"Who else is going to be here?"  
  
He asked. The tall man grinned, his teeth glowing eerily pearl-white in the faint moonlight.  
  
"My gang. Yours. That stupid circus is going to be here, too."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Hey, not a lot of people get expelled from Grand Line, you know."  
  
The taller man snapped. Then he smoothed the band around his forehead, calling out,  
  
"GIN!!"  
  
A man with dark shadows beneath his eyes emerged from the shadows, sporting the same band and mirthless grin. Krow had to mask his surprise.  
  
"Yes, Don Krieg?"  
  
"Where the hell is that stupid circus?"  
  
"Right here."  
  
Another voice answered, and Krieg turned to face another man, whose blue hair had been artfully slicked down to a ponytail.  
  
"You have that ridiculous paint on your face again."  
  
Krieg commented.  
  
"They're tattooed on! How many times do I have to tell you?!"  
  
The blue haired one grumbled, a gloved hand touching at the crossbones plastered just at his forehead. The rest of the team behind him looked just as mortally offended. Krieg rolled his eyes.  
  
"Whatever, Buggy. So I suppose everyone knows what we're here to do?"  
  
Buggy stopped touching his forehead, and grinned the same wicked grin Krow and Krieg were wearing.  
  
"Whoo hoo! Time to trash that dinner dance of that dumbass university!!"  
  
The motorcycles roared in ignition in response as a cry of excitement rose up.  
  
  
  
Tashigi was on the verge of tapping the floor with her shoe now. Should she go? He was extremely late, and she had no intention of waiting any longer than this. Sighing, she held her hand-bag to herself, regretting choosing the shiny black one rather than the dull blue one. After another minute, she had made a decision, and she began to exit the auditorium when she heard a collection of footsteps behind her.  
  
Turning, she saw the Bitch group again, and her eyes narrowed. Most likely here to taunt her about being stood up. Well, she was sure Jonathan had a good reason.  
  
"Awww. Poor little raven. Did you wait here all by yourself? For..."  
  
Jenna checked a watch from her hand-bag, and smiling, turned the face towards Tashigi. The numbers 08:31 glowed at her in the semi-darkness of the back area of the auditorium.  
  
"...For two hours? My, my. You were pretty desperate for this date, weren't you?"  
  
Choosing to ignore them, Tashigi turned back to the door and was about to exit, when she heard Carrie's high pitched laugh echo. It was followed by the Bitch group giggling behind her.  
  
Slowly, Tashigi turned to the auditorium. The way Jenna was smiling at her made Tashigi get the idea of why. Slowly, she walked towards the auditorium, brushing past Yuina on the way, and stepped out into the bright-orange light of the hall.  
  
Jonathan, wearing complete formal attire, was dancing with Carrie in the upper section of the auditorium. Tashigi felt herself trembling, and curled her fingers tightly into fists to stop herself from shaking.  
  
'There's a reason,'  
  
She told herself as firmly as she possible,  
  
'There has to be...'  
  
Taking deep breaths, Tashigi started to walk towards the couple, but they caught sight of her and stopped dancing. They walked towards her instead, and Tashigi found her back surrounded by the Bitch group. Bringing her eyes slowly to meet Jonathan's, she found that he didn't even bother to avoid her gaze. He simply looked at her with his white-toothed grin, his arm casually resting around Carrie's waist.  
  
"Hey Tashigi."  
  
He said as though they were meeting in class. Tashigi had to bite her lip hard before she spoke.  
  
"Jonathan,"  
  
She managed,  
  
"I thought we were m-meeting at the b-back entrance."  
  
The girls behind her tittered, and she felt her cheeks flare with white-hot embarrassment. What was she doing? Whimpering in front of a boy had never really considered a friend, that was what. But she really couldn't understand why Jonathan would stand her up and dance with Carrie without telling her. She hadn't done anything terrible in particular to him.  
  
"Oh, that,"  
  
He drawled, breaking her thoughts,  
  
"Well, it's just that Carrie called in last minute, and as I do like her better than you and all, I thought, why not?"  
  
He kissed Carrie on the lips, and she flung her arms around him with a blissful expression. Tashigi stared, her mouth open in shock.  
  
"Sorry I forgot to call you,"  
  
He added with a smirk,  
  
"I guess you just slipped out of my mind. You didn't wait for me until now, did you?"  
  
Stunned, Tashigi felt her blood coursing hotly through her veins as her chest tightened painfully. The Bitch group began to laugh hysterically as Tashigi stood awkwardly before Jonathan and Carrie, trying to stop herself from shaking violently. She couldn't believe that even Jonathan bothered to go to such lengths just to do this to her.  
  
'Where's that anger surge when I need it?'  
  
She thought miserably, gripping her bag so tightly her knuckles grew white,  
  
'Why do I feel so bloody pathetic now?'  
  
Then she felt Jenna's breath right at her shoulder and she jumped back, startled. Jenna was smiling in a sinister manner that made Tashigi a little more than just uneasy.  
  
"Poor little raven,"  
  
Jenna murmured,  
  
"She even dressed up for you, Jonathan."  
  
She reached an arm out to touch Tashigi's dress, and Tashigi automatically reached an arm out to knock her hand out of the way.  
  
"Oh? I would have thought you'd be so humilated you wouldn't retaliate,"  
  
Karen said with mock surprise,  
  
"Should've known old raven would have that 'fighting spirit' in her."  
  
"Well, it would've been boring if all she'd done was stand there crying."  
  
Marie said with a nasty smile.   
  
Without another word, Tashigi turned and walked back to the back entrance, walking as quickly as she could, but as she neared the exit, she stopped walking. All she wanted to do right now was run to her dorm and pretend Jonathan Thorpe didn't exist. Or better yet, that she didn't exist. But her legs wouldn't budge. They threatened to buckle the second she attempted to move.   
  
She didn't notice the girls surround her in a tight circle until a hand picked up the ribbon at her waist.  
  
"Ugh. What a fashion statement."  
  
Tashigi jerked the hand off and glared at Karen, who looked coldly back. Then Tashigi looked down at her heels, angry at herself for feeling shame.   
  
Jenna brought a knuckle to Tashigi's bowed head, and rapped it against her temple.  
  
"Stupid, stupid raven."  
  
She tutted, turning her knuckle so she now pushed Tashigi's head down with each word,  
  
"I almost feel sorry for you."  
  
"Did you think you could be normal?"  
  
Karen hissed, and with a sharp tug, the ribbon at her waist unravelled to Tashigi's ankles. She started to bend down to pick it up, but Marie shoved her back to Yuina. Tashigi glanced back at the girl, expecting a smirk on her face, but to her surprise she saw regret in her eyes as she pushed Tashigi back to her feet.  
  
"Are you listening?"  
  
Marie snapped, slapping Tashigi's head so sharply she heard her neck crick,  
  
"Who did you think you were, trying to hang around with Jonathan so much?"  
  
"Thought you were being smart there, raven?"  
  
Tashigi avoided eye-contact, and glanced towards the back entrance. Hmm. Perhaps she could run now. Or would they pull her back? She didn't want to find out.  
  
"Well, you weren't."  
  
Jenna's voice interrupted her thoughts,  
  
"You'll never be normal, Tashigi. For example, what the hell were you thinking with this dress?"  
  
She grabbed the hem of her skirt, and Tashigi had to force her skirt away to get out of her grip.  
  
"The buttons on the back really don't add to the deco, darling. And velvet? What are you, a princess?"  
  
Jenna smirked as Marie laughed loudly.  
  
"Far from it,"  
  
Marie said as she shook something vigorously with her hands,  
  
"So I think I'll lower her standards a little."  
  
Tashigi turned to walk out of the circle they had created around her, but Karen grabbed her elbow with a pincer-like grip to pull her back. The next thing she knew, a fizzy froth of Coke sprayed over her, and she was blinking the fizz out of her eyes as the cold liquid seeped into the front of her dress.  
  
She had been unconciously holding onto Karen for support, and she was pushed off with a sound of disgust into someone else. She felt her glasses fall with a clatter to the floor, and to her surprise, the person she had fallen into was supporting her weight. She turned back to see Yuina's dark green eyes, so close she could see clearly the reflection of regret yet again before being nudged back into the center.  
  
Hands suddenly clasped onto her bare shoulders in such a strong grip Tashigi automatically began to struggle. Then she felt something so cold and smooth pressed on her back it sent chills up her spine, and she stopped moving just as it was run all the way up the back of her dress.  
  
The ripping of threads and the popping of buttons met Tashigi's ears as they fell in a clutter onto the floor. She gasped, throwing both arms over the front of her dress to keep it covering her, and slipping on the Coke she fell with a painful slam to her knees.  
  
Glancing up, she saw the metallic shine of a pocket-knife's blade before it was swung back into Jenna's keychain. The colours of Jenna's copper and black hair swirled before Tashigi's eyes before she heard the rustle of Jenna's dress, indicating her turning.  
  
"Let's leave the loser alone for a while,"  
  
She heard Jenna say loudly,  
  
"She wouldn't want us to see her weep her little eyes out."  
  
Laughing, the girls walked back to the auditorium. Tashigi tried to wipe the Coke dripping off her face, and felt it going sticky when her dress started to go loose. Quickly pressing the soaked velvet back onto her skin, she reached out with a hand to look for her glasses, when her fingers met buttons.  
  
All her buttons, mingled in spilled Coke and threads.  
  
' "Weep my little eyes out??" '  
  
She thought,  
  
'Like hell I would. Like hell I'd ever weep.'  
  
A droplet of Coke dripped off her chin and joined the growing puddle on the floor. Where were her glasses?  
  
'L-like hell I'd let myself do that. As if I'd... be th-that weak...'  
  
She tried to ignore the stickiness of her fingers as buttons slipped through them.  
  
"Why?"  
  
She whispered shakily. Her vision became even more blurred.  
  
She brought her hand to her face and began to cry.  
  
  
  
  
[A/N: -.-;; Yes, about OP anime.. it hasn't ended yet. So it should be well over 100 eps by now... they're on the Alabasta arc, as they're following the manga without too many fillers... uh huh. Hmm... when *will* Luffy appear? Actually, I'm kinda curious myself. O.o;; I hope he appears sooner than chapter 20! XP See, I have this little sheet of paper (with Zoro doodles on it XP) that has the whole story scribbled out on it... and it looks like he'll be out in the open a bit after the dinner dance. But how long is the @#$!? dinner-dance?!! You may ask. Er, my answer would be something like 'Your guess is as good as mine'... ^^;; Thanks for reading uptil here! Expect a quick update soon...] 


	10. Zoro's Vision

"Everyone gather to the center of the auditorium. I repeat; everyone gather to the center of the auditorium! We're starting our Dance-a-mania for tonight!"  
  
A plump teacher at the stage announced. There were murmurs and shuffling, as well as the clinking of plates and forks as students and teachers stood up from seats to gather.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Zoro asked as Yosaku and Johnny stood up.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Every dinner dance we have a Dance-a-mania."  
  
Zoro stared at him, and Yosaku hastily elaborated,  
  
"It's just a time where the students just gather to dance and switch partners every minute with."  
  
"It's not compulsory, is it?"  
  
"Well, if you don't get up, teachers come and drag you there. It's their idea of a fun, social event. It is, really."  
  
Johnny added with an encouraging smile. It didn't work. Zoro shuddered.  
  
"Sorry guys. But I think I'll run away and skip this one."  
  
"What?! But the dean--"  
  
"I thought he wanted to meet you--"  
  
"He'll be expecting you to--"  
  
"I'll be back when this dance-a-whatever ends."  
  
Zoro replied quickly, and began to shuffle towards the front entrance. To Zoro's horror and alarm he saw Mr. Harrison standing at the entrance, obviously guarding it to keep people like him from leaving.  
  
'There should be a back entrance or something,'  
  
Zoro thought, edging quickly away from the dean and towards the back of the auditorium. Sure enough, as he approached the back, he saw a lit sign proclaiming in neon green letters: 'BACK ENTRANCE AND BACK STAGE' aside a large arrow.  
  
He hurried onwards, but accidentally bumped into several girls. They stopped in mid-laughter and let out squeals upon seeing him. A tall girl with long dark hair and bright copper highlights squealed the loudest, and to Zoro's dismay, grabbed his arm.  
  
"Hi! You're the new guy, aren't? Zoro Roronoah?"  
  
"Uhhh..."  
  
How the hell did she know his name?! Zoro demanded inwardly, I've only been here two days!!  
  
"Well, they're starting the Dance-a-mania now! I'll dance the first dance with you, how about it?"  
  
"Uhm,"  
  
Zoro said with his eyes straining to see the back entrance,  
  
"Not now. Er, I'm... heading to the... bathroom."  
  
"Aww, but it's starting,"  
  
She said with a pout. The girls behind her nodded encouragingly at him, and Zoro stared.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
'Do I have to say I'm desperate or something?! Can't these girls take a hint?!!'  
  
He thought in frustration. He missed the looks of slight worry they exchanged.  
  
"...I don't really dance. And I need to go to the bathroom, now, excuse me."  
  
With that, Zoro pushed through the crowd of girls, and they let out small gasps before silencing behind him. Relieved, Zoro continued walking, starting to see the reflected light from the entrance on the floor when he stepped on something with a sharp crack.  
  
He glanced down, and saw something glint beneath his shoe. Bending down onto a knee and picking it up, he examined the thing.  
  
It was a pair of black plastic-framed glasses that was cracked at the left eye.  
  
He drew in a sharp gasp of breath. The booming of the teacher's voice in the microphone, the noise of the students inside the auditorium talking and moving, the echoes of everything suddenly ceased into a silence.  
  
What's going on? He thought frantically. The pair of glasses in his hand swam into a blur of black, and into a slightly blurred image of a thicker-framed pair of glasses. It wasn't cracked at either eye. Rays of sunlight fell upon his hand, and he could see in his peripheral vision the motion and colours of people on either side. But he couldn't hear a thing.  
  
His vision swung upwards, and he felt his lips move. A young, dark-haired girl was looking at him, smiling at him. She had a hand reached out for her glasses. However, Zoro couldn't see her face properly. It was so blurred, he could barely make out her features.  
  
Then her face sharpened into a young woman with dark hair that was trimmed into a round cut below the ears, and a soft smile with deep blue eyes... then it fuzzed out and sharpened into a young woman with the same dark hair but with a cut that curved out, her eyes a chocolate brown, and she wore an embarrassed smile to go with her blushing cheeks... then it blurred back to a young woman with the blue eyes... no, the brown.... the blue.... the brown...  
  
Everything swirled and swirled into a whirlpool of hazy colours until suddenly, Zoro was met with the image of a young girl with deep blue eyes, smiling at him with a wooden sword at her side... a bokken. She lifted her head, smiled at him softly, yet so sadly. A flurry of cherry-blossom petals flew past his eyes, and sound suddenly burst out in volume as he heard her murmur in her sad voice:  
  
"...Zoro..."  
  
Suddenly, Zoro was blinking, the bright whiteness of the image gone and replaced by a dark surrounding. Another voice was calling his name. Another voice behind him. Looking around, he saw an unfamiliar girl with black hair streaked with copper, looking at him with a sickeningly sweet smile but flinching with uneasiness.  
  
"You can ignore her, you know,"  
  
She was saying,  
  
"She's always like that. You don't have to think about..."  
  
He looked forward, and saw a young woman drenched in some sort of liquid, her hand clamped over her mouth. It looked like buttons littering the floor. He tried to see her face. It... it looked like that marine general... the one that looked like...  
  
What was she doing in that dress? He frowned, then looked at himself in horror. No, scratch that-- what was *he* doing wearing these things?! Glancing behind, the severe lack of blue sky and sunlight and sudden collection of girls caused him to draw back slightly. Who were the girls behind him? Just where the hell was he??  
  
He stood up, holding the pair of glasses in his hand, his mind full to bursting with questions -- but as soon as he stood up, the confusion gushed out of him. His mind was freed of all the strange questions; the funny throbbing in his temple; the alarming familiarity... .it all disappeared -- he blinked.  
  
He looked at the girl before him again. He had just recognised her for a split second; he was sure of it... but right now, all he knew was that she looked familiar. He walked cautiously to her, as he could tell she was crying, and gently leant down. She felt his shadow over her, and glanced up, her chocolate eyes meeting his.  
  
A jolt ran through Zoro, but he couldn't decipher what it was. Instead, he held out her glasses, and she stared at them. Then, throwing Zoro a mistrusting glance, she snatched the glasses from his hand and held them tightly. He could see her hand shaking as she did so.  
  
"Th-thank you."  
  
She mumbled, sniffling. Zoro looked over her. The lights from outside the auditorium looked inviting. His mind had yearned to get out as quick as possible, but now it wouldn't let him leave the shaking girl before him. Letting out an inward sigh and wondering if he would regret it later, he held out a hand to her. Her eyes looked confused and cold, but he decided to ignore it.  
  
"You can't stay here forever,"  
  
He reasoned.  
  
"You know her, Zoro?!"  
  
Cried the girl behind him, sounding thunderstruck.  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
The girl before him snapped, wiping her tear-stained cheeks with a wrist. Zoro sighed, bending down so their eyes were level.  
  
"You expect me to just walk off after seeing someone crying like this in the middle of a corridor?"  
  
He muttered, and she sniffled before letting out a small noise of agreement, sounding reluctant.  
  
"I'll help you to your dorm or something,"  
  
He said, offering his hand again,  
  
"So get up."  
  
She shook her head stubbornly, and out of patience, Zoro reached over and tried to grab the hand she kept clutching to her chest. She gasped, and Zoro saw the black material start to fall apart as she pressed her other hand to it. Her eyes shot through him murderously.  
  
'Ouch,'  
  
He thought,  
  
'Why didn't I see that sooner, I wonder...'  
  
He looked at her back, and saw that it was torn open from the middle. He noticed that the buttons on her back had been made to alternate on each side so that the button-holes lay in neat rows at either side.  
  
'Hmmm...'  
  
A long ribbon on the floor was twisted around the girl's ankle. Cautiously, Zoro tugged a bit at the end of the ribbon, and she threw him an alarmed look as she lifted her ankle instinctively. He tugged the ribbon free, then moved around behind her.  
  
"Wh-what are you--"  
  
"Hang on, hang on,"  
  
He muttered, and like a shoe-lace, he thread the ribbon through the lowest alternating button-holes before starting to weave them in and out upwards.  
  
"Hey!!"  
  
She cried in protest, her face starting to warm in embarrassment,  
  
"You don't have to--"  
  
"Stay still,"  
  
He mumbled,  
  
"Please?"  
  
She grew quiet, her face burning as she felt his warm fingers occasionally brush past her bare back as he thread the ribbon through.  
  
The girls whispered a bit more, threw death-glares at the girl on the floor, then spun on their heel and left.  
  
  
  
"Merii,"  
  
Kaya called her manager as she curled up on her white, plush sofa.  
  
"Yes, Miss Kaya? You called?"  
  
Merii appeared from the hallway.  
  
"Merii, did you find the young man?"  
  
Kaya asked. Merii shook his head regretfully.  
  
"Well, hurry up then,"  
  
She snapped, and turned her head over and press her face into a cushion. She heard him sigh.  
  
"Yes, ma'am..."  
  
As his retreating footsteps faded, Kaya thought deeply. She had time to, after all; Kurohadol had called to cancel their dinner tonight, and she was glad he had because she had no heart to dine with the manager of Feline Incorporates at the moment.  
  
When she had been going through the usual crowd of reporters, a young man had suddenly popped out of no where. His eyes had been covered with a pair of glasses, but his nose... his uncannily long nose made Kaya remember something... she, looking at him curiously, watched the glasses slip off his eyes, and then -- she recognised him. Thinking long and hard now, she didn't know him at all. But... she knew him all the same!  
  
It was the same sort of confusion that filled her everytime she pondered her mysterious sickness.  
  
She needed to meet him... she needed to know. That was why she was looking for him now, although she didn't have much to go on... a young man who looked 17 or 18, wearing glasses... and she only knew his first name, after all... but she knew that if she searched for him long and hard enough... she just might find an answer to all her questions.  
  
"Usopp-san,"  
  
She mumured into her cushion, and felt the name slip out of her mouth like she'd said it so many times before.  
  
  
  
"Hang on. You're telling me we have to ride our motorcycles up the stairs?!!"  
  
"Why not? There's got to be a thrill to it, right?"  
  
"Er, no denying that. But isn't it... I dunno... a bit extreme? I mean-- OW!!"  
  
"You dumbass clown! Of course it's extreme! We wouldn't be doing this if it didn't shock 'em any. Remember, we're teaching them what happened to the 'delinquents' they unceremoniously ditched."  
  
"If you say so, Krieg."  
  
Short silence, then:  
  
"...So let me get this straight. We rush up the stairs, crash into the auditorium where they should be having their dinner dance, round them up into the middle... then punch the dean?"  
  
"NO!! We pulverise them!! All of them!! Dean, teachers and students alike!! For forgetting the fact they faced so many students with expulsion just because they got the jitters from our so-called 'bad behaviour'!!"  
  
"Oh... yeah."  
  
"Krieg, let me remind you that if the police are contacted in any way in between, the plan will be completely rui--"  
  
"Shut up Krow. I am aware of the consequences. But who's to say we can't escape as soon as the sirens ring?"  
  
"Right."  
  
...............  
  
"...I hate it when Krieg grins like that, Krow."  
  
"...I hate to admit it, but so do I."  
  
  
  
A/N: O.O Thanks for reading uptil now. O.O I'm in shock. O.O Hmm. O.O Was it really horrible of me to do that to Tashigi? O.O I feel guilty... O.O Forgive me... O.O Naaaa.... O.O I'm still in shock... O.O Uhm... O.O Expect next chapter soon... O.O Sorry I took a while to post this one.... O.O Thanks, all of you, you're all darlings... O.O And, yes, I'm still in shock... 


	11. Nami's Vision

The clicking of heels, laughter and music boomed and echoed from the auditorium, the Danca-a-mania officially haven been started.  
  
"Finally they leave,"  
  
Zoro said lightly. The girl turned her head to look at him in surprise, and then turned back to flare in embarrassment at the look of concentration he had on his face. A minute later, he finished, and tied the upper part in a ribbon before patting her shoulder.  
  
"There. You can get up now."  
  
She slowly stood up, holding her handbag loosely over an elbow before she stumbled and fell into Zoro. He caught her easily, and helped her stand.  
  
"Are you okay yet?"  
  
He asked her as she shadowed her eyes, still shaking like mad.  
  
"I will be."  
  
She began, when footsteps echoed extremely loudly behind them.  
  
"Zoro?"  
  
It called out,  
  
"You there?"  
  
Zoro's face drained of colour as he recognised the jolly voice of the dean.  
  
"Oh hell,"  
  
He muttered, knowing that leaving now would only make their backs clearly visible to Mr. Harrison. Then his eyes spied the 'BACKSTAGE' sign just at side door directly to their right. Deciding that the girl before him wasn't in the dancing mood either - at least, not at the moment, he grabbed her hand, and walked quickly over to the backstage door. Hoping to dear God it wasn't locked, he pressed his fingers firmly around the door handle, and turned.  
  
It opened.  
  
"Thank God!!"  
  
He mumbled, pulling the door open and throwing the girl in before himself, then shutting the door with a snap not a moment too soon. He pressed his ear against the door, and heard the dean's footsteps just at the door. He held his breath. Then Mr. Harrison simply sighed and walked away, his fading footsteps only too gladly heard by Zoro.  
  
  
  
Nami loved dancing.  
  
That was why she just loved the Dance-a-mania they held each dinner dance, and she was having the time of her life being whirled partner to partner. Laughing as she was passed her and there, the multicoloured lights swirling rainbows for her as she spun, she passed onto her next partner without much thought.  
  
When her chest contracted, however, she knew. He looked at her in surprise, her hands and his together, but not dancing.  
  
"Oh."  
  
She said, her radiance draining out of her. Carefully avoiding eye-contact with her, he gracefully pulled her to him, and swept off with her in rhythm to the music. Reluctantly, Nami followed, and started to dance with him.  
  
She had to admit, he was one of the best dancers she had ever met. He was humming with the music as she spun her around, and for a split second, she saw a flicker of his face come into view - and it was an expression of pure bliss. She was used to it, as though she'd seen it many times before... which she hadn't. Weird.  
  
The way he was holding her hands and her hips made her feel lightweight and... how could she put it... precious? He seemed to be taking extra care not to touch her in any way that might hurt her - but the way he was carefully 'handling' her was strangely so familiar, but Nami couldn't place for the life of her when she had ever felt like this before...  
  
Time seemed to screech to a sudden halt, and as Nami blinked in confusion, the brightly coloured lights faded into a dark-mauve sky scattered with sparkling stars. The music grew quiet, blending from its dance pop into silence. Coloured flags were flapping in a cool breeze Nami couldn't feel, yet she anticipated.  
  
Before her, a young blonde man looked down at her - Sandy White, the model... One his face, he had the look of pure bliss etched across his face as he stepped in time with her, a cigarette hanging from the edge of his lips. He grinned as she gave a half-turn that mirrored his perfectly.  
  
Sound returned in a rush, a cheerful celebratory burst of song, and the blonde smiled happily at her as he exclaimed,  
  
"Nami-san, you're wonderful at dancing!!"  
  
She blinked, her eyes meeting the same happy eyes. The clear skies and bright colours behind him, however, drained into dullness with a snap. She slowly looked left and right, unfamiliar people and surroundings greeting her, and looking up, she saw projections of colourful lights. Where am I? She wondered.  
  
Looking at the young man before her, she recognised him with relief. Where am I? What are we doing here? She wanted to ask so many things to the cook, but she noticed something was weird with his eyes. His eyebrows, she noticed, they're...  
  
She lifted a hand up, her eyes confused and surprised as she brought her fingers to his brow. Her fingertips traced his eyebrow, and at the end, curled a spiral where there was none.  
  
"Sanji-kun, what happened to your eyebrow?"  
  
She asked curiously. As soon as she asked, she forgot why she had. One moment, she had been questioning and curious - the next, quite strangely empty... Empty to the core. She blinked in confusion, dance pop blaring out of the speakers and students laughing and dancing in flurried colours around her.  
  
Something had just happened - she was sure of it... something didn't fit, because when she looked at the model before her again, he looked so startled his eyes were wide open.  
  
She had just called him Sanji. Why on earth had she called Sandy White Sanji? Nami had absolutely no idea. And his eyebrow?! I am so demented, she thought, but she was finding it difficult to tear her eyes away from his.  
  
He seemed to want to ask her something, but his mouth appeared to be malfunctioning. He seemed lost for words as he searched her eyes. Nami finally managed to turn her gaze from him, equally confused.  
  
Their minute completed, Nami was swung around to meet her next partner. But as she danced, she involuntarily craned her neck back to catch a glimpse of the blonde again. However, he was lost among the many heads of the students.  
  
For the first time since she had met the blonde model, she felt regret seep through her unpleasantly.  
  
  
  
"All set, you lil rascals?"  
  
Yelled Buggy.  
  
"Like never, cap'n Buggy!"  
  
Shouted his multi-coloured gang in response, white-crossbones glowing from their foreheads and arms.  
  
"Ready to go?"  
  
Krow drawled.  
  
"Yes!!!"  
  
His gang screamed, punching black-gloved fists into the air as their engines revved.  
  
"You all know what to do, don't you?"  
  
Krieg smirked as his crew let out a simultaneous cry of rushing adrenaline.  
  
"Great. Let's go and give them hell."  
  
Krieg grinned widely as everyone let out a great shout of agreement, then gave the signal before ripping off from the shadows onto the gravel. All fifty people followed suit, tyres squealing loudly before setting off with a roar, their maniacal laughter echoing.  
  
  
  
"Phew."  
  
He breathed in relief, then turned his attention to the girl. She looked startled, but otherwise fine.  
  
"Sorry,"  
  
Zoro apologised,  
  
"I don't dance."  
  
"I don't really want to either."  
  
She agreed. Then after a pause, she added,  
  
"Thanks."  
  
He waved away her gratitude, shaking his head.  
  
"What was up with those girls anyway?"  
  
He asked. She looked at him, and Zoro got the feeling that she was judging whether she should tell him or not. Then she seemed to relent, and switching on the light, she found a chair and sat. Zoro hitched himself up onto a desk next to her.  
  
"A year and a half ago."  
  
She began, and Zoro let out a low whistle.  
  
"You've allowed yourself to be bashed for that long?"  
  
He commented bluntly. She looked at him in a stunned sort of way before letting out a low chuckle as she murmured,  
  
"I guess."  
  
Then she continued,  
  
"Jenna - that's the girl, you know, long hair with highlights - she was going out with Smok-- well, this guy. And... well, he just broke up with her abruptly, saying he liked another girl, and... yeah, you can guess who that girl was."  
  
"You must've been flattered."  
  
"I was, actually, but we only dated a month before he left to another university. I don't even know where he is now."  
  
She sighed, leaning back in her chair.  
  
"After that, it's been hell for me. Well, I can only suppose Jenna really liked Smoker."  
  
"Why don't you do anything back?"  
  
Zoro asked, not bothering to ask why she didn't 'tell'. This sort of thing wasn't something, in Zoro's opinion, that a teacher could do anything about - or should do anything about. It was something the girl had to do herself. It was a wonder, though, that they hadn't noticed.  
  
"What can I do back?"  
  
She asked, wiping her glasses on her dress and cursing under her breath to find the glass at one lens cracked severely. Zoro decided not to tell her he had been the one who stepped on it.  
  
"You could resort to violence,"  
  
He suggested. Then they both blinked.  
  
"What?? No way... I-- I couldn't just whack them! I'd get in really bad trouble just for pushing them--"  
  
"Okay, okay. Sorry - I don't know why I suggested that,"  
  
Zoro admitted truthfully. Why on Earth had he suggested resorting to violence? He didn't had a particular fondness for violence...   
  
"What happened just now?"  
  
He asked, steering the subject to another area. She was silent for a moment, before hugging her knees to her chest, sighing.  
  
"I was asked out for a date."  
  
She murmured.  
  
"There's this guy called Jonathan. I thought he was someone I could trust, and I even came here... all 'dressed up',"  
  
She spat the last two words out angrily, and slammed a fist onto the table with surprising force. Then she calmed down, pressing her forehead onto the table.  
  
"I was a fool."  
  
She whispered.  
  
"He stood me up, and I let the girls go bonkers. I was a true fool to believe him."  
  
"It's your fault, you know,"  
  
Zoro commented, snapping her head up in shock,  
  
"You're the one who cowered behind a boy for protection."  
  
She froze. Her chocolate eyes met his in an uncertain, yet curious manner.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
She asked.  
  
"Zoro,"  
  
He answered,  
  
"Yours?"  
  
"Tashigi."  
  
She replied, and Zoro saw newfound respect in her eyes when she looked at him again. She smiled at him, and opened her mouth to say something, when something happened.  
  
**CRASH**  
  
"YEEEEE-----HAAAAA!!!!!"  
  
Screams and cries of shock sounded, and the crashing of tables and clanging of metal chair legs were heard. Screeching and squealing of tyres and extremely loud yelling was heard.  
  
Both university students stared at scarlet curtains hiding the backstage from the main stage, towards the auditorium. Cries of distress and an undecipherable hollering of the dean came, but it was drowned out by the roar of engines and screaming voices.  
  
"What the hell is going on?"  
  
Zoro asked Tashigi with a raised eyebrow. She looked at him, her face mirroring his expression of confusion and surprise, and shook her head.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Cautiously, Zoro stood up, and walked towards the curtains. He carefully slipped a hand around one opening and pushed it aside.  
  
Holding his breath, he peered through to take a look at the havoc.  
  
  
  
  
I'm going to Korea, away from my computer. ^^;; So... I might type up a chapter there, though it will require lots of begging... Anyways. I hope this isn't much of a cliffhanger. Actually, I'm sure it isn't. ^^;; And I'm glad I seem to have been forgiven for my horrible deed to Tashigi. XD Okay... now, I have figured out the whole plot line, so I know how many chaps there should be now. Not even halfway through, though. O.o;; Oh well. And Luffy appears before halfway, let me assure you... ^^;; Thanks for reviewing, guys; it really makes my day to read 'em. ^^* 


	12. The Mop and Broomstick Plan

I can't believe it, Sanji thought, his heart beating loudly in his ears, I managed to dance with her... but what the hell had happened? He had been floating in his clouds of joy for quite a while, when suddenly, her eyes had been looking into his in great curiousity.  
  
_Sanji-kun, what happened to your eyebrow?_  
  
His head pounded as he danced absent-mindedly with some random girl.  
  
For one thing, the touch from her to his skin had practically scalded him with shock. It had been so gentle, so unlike the signs she had been passing him.  
  
But the questioning look in her hazel eyes had been so strange. It was nothing like the glares stained with pain or sadness like before... it was simply a stare of curiousity. Purely that.  
  
Another thing that totally blew his mind was her calling him 'Sanji-kun'. How had she known his name?! Everyone - and he meant, _everyone_ - knew him as Sandy White, even the dean. But the moment she had called him that hadn't felt alien at all. As though she had always called him that...  
  
And what did she mean about his eyebrow? She had... traced a spiral. He hadn't understood what she had meant, but he had been so overwhelmed at the time, sentences were unable to form themselves in his head.  
  
The thing that drew a blank from him was the way she had reflected his confusion back to him after asking him that strange question. And she had turned away, the same pain shrouding her gaze again.  
  
Yep; Sanji was confused as hell, but at least... she hadn't flinched too much at his touch as much as he'd expected her to. He was exhillarated just by that, yet...  
  
_Sanji-kun._  
  
....What the _hell_ is going on? Sanji wondered.  
  
*CRASH*  
  
"Eh?"  
  
Sanji turned his head to the main doors of the auditorium as many other students did. The double doors were slammed wide open, and as the unwelcome light spilled in, so did several surprise visitors.  
  
  
  
  
Nami let out a small scream as a motorcycle tore past her, the roar of its engine and the maniacal scream of the guy on it streaming past her. She scrambled across the hall, her hazel eyes widening to reflect the chaos.  
  
A quick look around told Nami that at least twenty bikers were zooming around, but more were pouring in through the open doors. The music was abruptly stopped as the side-speakers were smashed by chairs, and many of the students were screaming and attempting to run. However, more motorcycles were entering from the back and front doors now, and blocked all entry and exit of others.  
  
As the students screamed and ran to avoid being hit by a motorcyle, the dean grabbed a microphone from its fallen stand and began to shout into it. The microphone was connected to speakers on the ceiling - way beyond reach of the zooming maniacs, and Mr. Harrison's voice blared out,  
  
"STOP THIS NONSENSE IMMEDIATELY!! THE POLICE HAVE BEEN CONTACTED--"  
  
_ WHAM._  
  
Vivi, who had found Nami and was now clutching to her arm for dear life, screamed into Nami's ear as the microphone fell to the floor with the dean. A piercing sound of frequency echoed throughout the hall, then stopped as a motorcyclist ran over the contraption. The dean seemed to be suffering from a hard blow to the shoulder from a chair.  
  
"Vivi, calm down!!"  
  
"Sorry, just scared me. But what the heck is going on?!"  
  
"I don't know!!"  
  
Nami yelled back over the roars and screams,  
  
"Just don't scream in my ear!!"  
  
She tried to move forward, towards a gap in the curtains, but failed to do so as motorcycles zoomed past her, the riders leering at her as they drove frighteningly close. She took a step backwards uncertainly, and realised what was going on.  
  
The motorcyclists were rounding the students into the center of the auditorium.  
  
"I don't like this."  
  
Nami muttered as she noticed teachers cowering amidst the students,  
  
"I'm going to find help."  
  
Throwing her handbag to Vivi, who squeaked in surprise, Nami ran full-on towards the side of the hall. Three motorcycles furiously began to speed towards her, but Nami stopped running just before the point they expected to grab her. Like a classic, they crashed together, and Nami smiled and winked before vaulting over a table and running towards the back entrance.  
  
"STOP THAT GIRL!!"  
  
Nami blinked, turning in alarm as another motorcycle sped towards her. Its rider was different from all the others though; he had a ridiculous face of paint, and his head was swathed in blue, like a weirdly long wig. Plus, his nose appeared to be big and red.  
  
'What a weirdo!'  
  
Nami couldn't help thinking as she continued to run towards the entrance.  
  
"COME BACK HERE!!"  
  
The rider bellowed, spurting forward,  
  
"STOP RUNNING!!"  
  
She ignored him, but glanced back. He was grinding his teeth as he pulled out a long metal bar below his seat, and held it up.  
  
"I'M WARNING YOU!!"  
  
He yelled.  
  
Nami was certain she could dodge the bar if he threw it, but unfortunately, she didn't realise he already had. She was still running when she turned and saw, her eyes widening in horror, the metal bar hurtling towards her face.  
  
  
  
  
"We're being trashed!!"  
  
Zoro exclaimed as he watched more crazy cyclists zoom around and crash chairs and tables over. The dean was running around in front of him, trying to avoid chairs and fistfuls of dinner-dance buffet, and before them the students and teachers were screaming and crowding into the center.  
  
Tashigi's head peeked out below his chin, and she gasped.  
  
"Oh my goodness!!"  
  
She cried in alarm, withdrawing from the curtains with Zoro,  
  
"We've got to do something!!"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Zoro asked with a raised eyebrow, peering at the chaos before them.  
  
"We-- we could call the police!!"  
  
She said inspirationally. Zoro sweatdropped.  
  
"Don't you wonder why anyone else hasn't called the cops already?"  
  
"Err... well..."  
  
He pulled back the curtains slightly, and gestured towards a random scatter of speakers, microphones and wires. As if that wasn't enough, crushed mobile phones decorated the hall floor.  
  
Exactly why was demonstrated before their eyes as a guy near them pulled out a phone, trying to discreetly dial, when a motorcyclist slammed the student down to the floor. The rider snorted, snatching up the cell-phone from the student's hands, and threw it to the floor. Then she ran over it, reducing it to smashed pieces of plastic and metal.  
  
Tashigi bit her lip.  
  
"D-do you have a phone?"  
  
She asked hopefully. She drooped as he shook his head.  
  
"Okay, so they're smarter than I thought. But that doesn't mean we can't do something! We-- we can sneak through the back entrance!!"  
  
Tashigi ran towards the door that connected the backstage to the back area of the auditorium, and grabbed the handle.  
  
"Wait--"  
  
Zoro began, but Tashigi had already thrown the door open.  
  
Her hair, which had been smoothed over and down with gel, immediately bristled and flew out of place as an abrupt wind blew across Tashigi's face. Her eyes widened as she realised the riders were entering from the back doors in a stream of screaming and whooping maniacs, streaking past her dangerously.  
  
She slammed the door shut, and turned to face the green-haired student looking at her with crossed arms and an arched eyebrow. There was a short silence.  
  
"...That was a surprise."  
  
She commented after a moment. Zoro shrugged.  
  
"I tried to warn you."  
  
He replied. Tashigi bit her lip, and began to pace back and forth. Zoro seated himself atop the table again. He noticed she had her fingers curled around her folded glasses so tightly her fist was trembling slightly.  
  
Then Tashigi snapped out of her deep train of her thought as a sharp crack sounded. She had broken the right lens of her glasses from her grip. She blushed slightly as she set down the glasses next to Zoro. He looked at her for a moment before asking,  
  
"What are you thinking about now?"  
  
She furrowed her brow, and peeked through the curtains. The riders were still circling around the students and teachers, and the dean was now no where to be seen. And, although it was a little blurred due to the lack of glasses, Tashigi could just make out MORE motorcyclists driving in at break-neck speed.  
  
"I'm trying to think of a way to save our uni's decency."  
  
Zoro snorted at her answer.  
  
"Why bother?"  
  
Tashigi opened her mouth to say something, then paused. What was up with her? She wondered. She didn't particularly love this university, yet... something kept telling her it would be so wrong to stay backstage while everyone else screamed in fear.  
  
She couldn't find the words she wanted, but ended up saying rather lamely, although she really meant it,  
  
"Because it's... right. We should do it."  
  
Zoro coughed, slipping off the table. He glanced at her, his eyebrow raised again.  
  
"We?"  
  
"Yes,"  
  
Tashigi said, now searching around the backstage for something,  
  
"We should. It's your university too, you know."  
  
Zoro seemed to want to say something, and his face went through a flurry of several frustrated and gob-smacked expressions before he finally settled on covering his face with his hands and groaning. He peeked through his fingers to see the girl wearing a face of deep concentration, digging through a pile of wigs. Seeing that she was fully expecting his co-operation, he sighed and gave in.  
  
"I don't see what we can do, though,"  
  
He complained. She paused through a chest of scarves.  
  
"I was kind of thinking we could go through the back-entrance to get some help."  
  
"I thought we went through this before."  
  
"Well, yeah,"  
  
Tashigi started, when she suddenly stopped and exclaimed,  
  
"This will do!!"  
  
Zoro watched in alarm as Tashigi spun around, beaming.  
  
"Totally different, but it'll do."  
  
Tashigi said, her tone in immense excitement and relief. Zoro stared blankly at the object Tashigi was holding up so happily.  
  
"Uh, listen,"  
  
Zoro said slowly and almost hesitantly,  
  
"The backdoors are wide open because motorcycles are spilling in. Even if we wait for the flow to die and dash, there'll probably be motorcyclers guarding the doors so it's pretty futile. So don't tell me that's the answer to all of these problems--"  
  
He was interrupted as Tashigi nodded excitedly.  
  
"Yeah! It is the answer!"  
  
There was a long silence. Tashigi could've sworn she'd heard the wind blow despite the racket muffled by the curtains.  
  
"...Isn't that a mop?"  
  
Zoro asked finally. Tashigi blinked, then, to the absolute shock of Zoro, she burst out laughing. He stared at her, bewildered at her actions as she clutched at her stomach and the mop for support, trying not to laugh but laughing at the same time.  
  
It's a good thing the noise outside over-rules her laughter, Zoro thought as he stared at the girl. As he watched her laugh, he felt something in him twist. He winced, unseen by Tashigi, and he racked his memory for the girl before him.  
  
She looked so familiar, but he really couldn't place where he had seen her. But her smile looked too familiar to let Zoro discard his attempt to remember. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a hiccup.  
  
She seemed to be over her bout of laughter, but was now suffering from the after effect of hiccups.  
  
"Er... Tashigi?"  
  
He prompted after a little while, a bit nervous even though she had stopped hiccupping.  
  
"Zoro,"  
  
She said, wiping a tear of laughter off her cheek,  
  
"I cannot believe you. What did you think my plan was? Use the mop to clean the floor?!"  
  
She looked at him, obviously trying not to laugh again. He looked dubiously at her, the mop, the curtains, then back at her again.  
  
"Uh... isn't that what it's for?"  
  
This time, Tashigi sat down, laughing her head off as she pounded the table with her fist. The mop clattered to the floor, forgotten, as Zoro shrank slightly back from the hysterical girl. This time, he wasn't so sure that the chaos outside drowned out her laughter. It sure was the only thing he could hear at the moment.  
  
"Uhhh..."  
  
Zoro said sullenly. Tashigi got the hint, and calmed herself down as best as she could. Then she said breathlessly,  
  
"Zoro, do you know kendo?"  
  
He blinked.  
  
"Kendo? You mean that wonky sword stuff?"  
  
Tashigi nodded, ignoring the 'wonky' comment as she stood up and kicked the mop up to her hands. Noticing her knees couldn't move too well, she bent over and searched for the seam.  
  
"I learnt it, so hopefully, I can put my skills to use here. Although I hardly use kendo technique - mostly whacking on self-accord..."  
  
Finding her seam, she held the mop under an arm and grasped the hem of her skirt with both hands, on either side of the seam. With a sharp pull, the threads gave way with a loud rip, and Zoro stared as she ripped up the seam uptil mid-thigh.  
  
"Uh. So you're going to whack 'em riders with a mop?"  
  
He asked.  
  
Tashigi knew that using the mop would be difficult - after all, it was a MOP, not a shinai - but hopefully she could pull off a couple of stunts. She nodded in response to the green-head's dubious question.  
  
"Not just me, though,"  
  
She added, and he looked up in surprise as she tossed him something,  
  
"You're helping me clear the way, too."  
  
He looked with a sweatdrop at the object in his hands.  
  
"A broom."  
  
He stated with such a finality it was as if he was proclaiming the world was going to end.  
  
"Stop whining. It's the best we can do on short notice."  
  
Tashigi said briskly, and picking up the mop, she held it at an angle, and slammed her heel just above the head of the mop. With a snap, the handle broke off the mop, and she held up the long handle to her eyes.  
  
"Usable."  
  
She decided out loud, and she found herself a make-shift grip. Taking a deep breath, she took a couple of practice swings at the air. Each swing gave an impressive sound of whooshing wind.  
  
Tashigi found herself grinning, and to her immense surprise, confidence was brimming in her. She smiled with that confidence at Zoro.  
  
"There we go! Now let's--"  
  
She stopped talking. Zoro was staring at her very intently, his eyes on the mop handle.  
  
"Zoro?"  
  
She asked uncertainly. He snapped his head up and shook it quickly - shaking all recognition out of him - and picked up the broom. He imitated Tashigi and snapped the broom bristles off his new 'weapon', and held it up. His own hands fumbled around at the handle.  
  
"I never tried this kendo stuff before."  
  
He explained as Tashigi looked at his grip,  
  
"So I'm just going to whap 'em to death. Is that okay?"  
  
She smiled at him, and as Zoro watched her smile of confidence, he realised he liked it loads better than the smile of respect she'd given him earlier.  
  
"We have to wait for those bozos to get outta the way."  
  
Tashigi reminded him. He nodded.  
  
"Sure. I'll keep a lookout."  
  
He peeked out of the curtains, and again felt her head brush against his chin as she looked out below him.  
  
He needed to tell her that she didn't have to look out either; that just him looking out was more than enough; that two heads peering out at the edge of the stage curtains was much more conspicuous than one; that her mop handle was sticking into his side uncomfortably;...  
  
But, for a reason Zoro just couldn't place why, he didn't want to tell her to move away from him.  
  
So he didn't.  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Ugh. Ugh. My head is going to explode. I don't know why. But anyways. Thanks for your reviews, you kind, kind, humans. Leave me a note to hint you're still reading and I'll be inspired to write more. But for now, I just came back from Korea, I barely slept 5 hours in the past 24, so I need rest. To prove it, let me tell you something scary. I feel like I'm bobbing and floating at the same time. It's scary. I better go to sleep now before my head blasts off... *passes out, twirly-eyed***  
  
  



	13. Momentum

She let out a strangled cry as she tried a desperate swerve to the left, but the steel caught her right shoulder with a crack. She had never been hit so hard in her life; it stunned her for a moment, tingles spreading from her shoulder down her arm and spine before bursting into full-blown pain.  
  
Nami sucked in her breath, trying to move her arm to keep her balance but finding the move excruciatingly painful. The blue-head whooped in triumph as he screeched to a halt before her, and Nami gritted her teeth, fighting her tears of pain down.  
  
"I warned you,"  
  
The weirdo sang to her face,  
  
"I told you to stop running. Now go back to the others where you belong."  
  
Her eyes glanced at her right shoulder, and saw the swelling red darkening into a violent purple. She didn't know whether to be thankful for her shoulder was still intact, or horrified at the bruise that was starting to throb in uncomfortable dollops of pain. Wincing and taking a step backward, Nami retorted,  
  
"Why don't you?"  
  
The eyes of the rider considerably darkened, and he stepped off his motorcycle slowly. Nami looked defiantly back at his glare, but hid the growing worry in her from the menacing feeling she got from the guy. Then she realised there were motorcyclers driving towards her and the creep behind him.  
  
'They're planning to surround me,'  
  
She realised. Her fingers tightened around her shoulder as we tried to think of a quick way to divert their attention so she could run for some help... when her eyes settled on the metal bar.  
  
Nami glanced back up at the guy, and his eyes held a warning she did not heed. She turned, letting go of her shoulder, and reaching down she scooped up the metal bar with her left hand. Holding it in a grip, she turned back to face the yell of the blue-head, when a jolt ran through her.  
  
A jolt of familiarity.  
  
'That's strange,'  
  
She thought as her fingers curled around the bar in a position she knew but did not remember,  
  
'Why do I feel like I've held this before...?'  
  
Her wrist flicked right, and the other end of the bar slapped easily into her right hand. Then, in a swift and fluid movement, Nami sifted the bar back before swinging it over in full momentum to crash into the blue-head's skull. Nami blinked. It had been so easy...  
  
His sudden howl of pain brought Nami back to the situation, and tossing the bar with a clatter to the floor, she spun around again and ran. Engines roared behind her, but Nami was confident she could reach the backstage doors in time. Her plan was to run through the backstage and exit the back-entrance at the other end. It was closer to the doors, and hopefully she could exit just as it was clear of any of the hooligans guarding the--  
  
Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes widened in horror, her heels sliding and skidding as she willed her feet to stop. How could she have forgotten?  
  
The right side of the auditorium wasn't connected to the backstage. It was a thick wall that greeted Nami's shocked eyes. There were surprised looking riders guarding the right-back entrance, staring at the sudden student. Nami turned back, her mind fumbling to find another plan, when she was met face to face with the blue-haired dude.   
  
Breathing irregularly with blood vessels bulging in his eyes, he drew his arm back before driving it into a heavy punch into Nami's stomach. She was caught in mid-breath, her eyes widening in shock before slamming into the unyielding wall. Her back stung, starting to warm with pain as she tried to get her winded breath back. Nami's eyes were screwed shut in pain, but she managed to pull one eye open to look up at the blue-head.  
  
"Bitch."  
  
He hissed. He held up the metal bar in a hand. Nami shut her eyes again, cringing. Was someone calling her name? Well, she couldn't do much to respond, at any rate.  
  
"Crap."  
  
She let her shuddering breath out with the word before the metal bar was swung towards her temple.  
  
  
  
  
One minute, riders were pouring in from all sides. The next, Sanji was suddenly clammed up and squished into the middle of screaming and shoving people. He had spent the last five minutes trying to get a proper breath of air.  
  
"Move!!"  
  
Sanji yelled desperately, shoving yet another haplessly screaming student aside before finally reaching the outer area of the bunched up circle. His eyes widened at the mess he was now able to see.  
  
Students were flinching as motorcyclists veered dangerously close to them as they zoomed around, and it looked as though the motorcyclists were having fun by tossing plates at the mass of students. As the students screamed and tried to avoid being hit, they ended pushing other students and making them fall. Sanji could see people helping their friends up, and some of them were bloodied up from broken plates and trampling from other students. Sanji grit his teeth.  
  
'Who the hell are these freaks?!'  
  
Sanji thought angrily, when he noticed that some of the riders were dragging teachers out of the circle and throwing them onto the pretty messed up dishes of food on the side tables. He watched as a rider grabbed his Literature teacher, and hoisted her up. She screamed and kicked, flailing her pudgy arms and opening her red mouth wide to no avail - and rider somehow managed to stuff her rear-end into the huge crystal fruit-punch bowl. Then the rider picked up the ladle, and with a relish, whapped the woman over the head several times before discarding it, cackling while hopping onto his motorcycle and zooming away.  
  
Sanji didn't know whether to feel amused or sorry for his teacher as she struggled to free her bottom from the bowl, her hair and dress drenched in fruit-punch. A few pieces of melon were dangling from her hair as she screeched in frustration. Sanji had to suppress a smile. He glanced around, but he couldn't see the dean anywhere. Damn, he thought disappointedly. Then he noticed a familiar blue-head hurry past him.  
  
"Vivi-chan?"  
  
Sanji called out questioningly, and the girl turned, her eyes filled with concern.  
  
"Oh! Sandy White!"  
  
She exclaimed. A nerve twitched in his temple at the name, but he smiled graciously at the girl as he sauntered over to her.  
  
"What's wrong? You look worried."  
  
He said lightly. She dropped her worried look to a disbelieving look. Worried was not the word in her head, obviously. Well, there *were* maniacs in the hall and everything. Glancing to his left, he quickly brought an arm over Vivi's head. She blinked in confusion before shrieking in surprise as a plate crashed into his arm, cracking into pieces and shattering on the floor. Unfazed, he removed his arm, still smiling at her. Vivi swallowed.  
  
"Uh, it's just... well, Nami managed to run out through the curtains a while ago, but then a leader of one the gangs - well, he looked like a leader - he drove after her, and I'm starting to get really worried--"  
  
"WHAT?!!"  
  
Sanji shouted, swinging his arms about with his eyes wide in horror,  
  
"SHE'S WHERE?!!"  
  
"Uh,"  
  
Said Vivi, looking shocked at seeing Sanji change from cool and calm to horrified and panicky,  
  
"Through that gap there..."  
  
A quick glance at where she pointed and Sanji was off. He was forced to, however, skid to a stop in front of a rider.  
  
"Going somewhere?"  
  
The rider sneered. Without a second thought, Sanji jammed his elbow into the rider's chest. With a yelp and choke of pain, the rider fell to the ground with a crash with his vehicle. Not pausing to catch his breath, Sanji jumped over the obstruction and sprinted towards the gap. More riders, however, were coming into the way - seven of them, all together, off their bikes and now rushing to block him.  
  
His mind was so full to bursting with worry of what had become of Nami he really didn't have much space left for the twerps. With a frustrated growl, his brain switched into reflex mode. Seven bikers running towards him to a point just in front of him; three to the left, four to the right. Without much thought, Sanji flipped himself onto his hands and brought his legs up before jerking them into a split. His arms working a momentum, he swung his legs round in a clean, sweeping movement, and his legs kicked out where he calculated jaws to be. Within seconds, Sanji was back to his feet and dashing for the gap while seven men crumpled to the floor, wheezing in pain.  
  
Although Sanji didn't know it, there were cheers behind him from the mass of students. However, this spurred on more riders to attempt blocking Sanji's way. This time, he didn't even bother counting. A kick to the abdomen there sent a rider flying into a tureen of tomato soup. Round-housing brought three riders sprawling. A quick flip to his hands and he knocked a rider out with a heavy heel-kick to the skull. The rider next to him was shoved into another by a swift one to his jaw. A fresh wave of bikers were kicked back with another one of his clean sweeps. Then, easily landing back to his feet, Sanji ran over to the table before the gap, vaulted over it and then tore through the thick red curtains. He definitely didn't notice the shell-shocked silence following his performance behind him.  
  
"NAMI-SAAAN!!!"  
  
He cried, his eyes searching the semi-darkness wildly when he heard noises to his left. He ran as hard as he could, and saw four or five bikers surrounding a familiarly orange-haired girl...  
  
"Nami-san!!"  
  
He cried in relief, when a hand flew out and a thick metal pipe was swung directly at her. Her head was thrashed to one side violently before hitting the wall. Then her body slumped, her head drooping to one side as she fell unconcious.  
  
"Heh,"  
  
The culprit said in satisfaction, tapping the metal bar onto his palm,  
  
"That'll teach her - and everyone else - a lesson."  
  
Sanji's jaw was open in shock at the vulgar act towards such a defenseless young woman. His widened eyes then narrowed. He took a step forward, and the hooligans noticed him.  
  
"What, another escaper?"  
  
The rider with the bar snorted, tossing his blue pony-tail back before bending down and gripping Nami by her hair. He dragged her up, tilting her head back so her neck stretched back.  
  
"This is what happens to anyone who attempts escape. So get back in there if you know what's good for you."  
  
Rage surged through him, almost blinding his vision with its fierceness. Sanji had never been so angry in his entire life. His hands curled into tight, trembling fists.  
  
"Let her go."  
  
Sanji said through his teeth. The bikers glared at him, and the one holding Nami threw her back against the wall. As her body struck the wall, Sanji flinched, his eyes narrowing further. They walked towards him, the one with the bar still wielding it, the others cracking their knuckles and necks as they approached.  
  
"Listen, we're the ones who order you pimps around. Got it, pretty-boy?"  
  
The blue-head shook a gloved finger at Sanji, and he snapped. With a swift kick to the left and a heel-jab he got rid of two riders as they cried out in pain and skid across the floor. He ducked a punch swerve from the right, and kicked the guy's shin twice before kicking him into the rider next to him. Finally, Sanji spun to face his main prey, his eyes ablaze with anger when he realised he wasn't there. He felt a small movement behind him a bit too late, and the metal pipe was swung heavily onto his fore-arm. He yelled out in pain, turning to face the grinning blue-head.  
  
"That's exactly what happened to the girl,"  
  
Said the rider, his eyes glittering maliciously. Sanji felt the throbbing waves of pain, and his teeth gnashed together so loudly the rider blinked in surprise. He swung his foot up, and slammed his heel into the biker's jaw. He felt teeth crack with satisfaction before swinging back and slamming his foot onto the biker's stomach. The blue-head sucked in his breath before crashing onto the wall. The concrete wall behind him cracked and splintered at the impact, and was damaged further as Sanji grabbed the folds of the biker's clothes and shoved him into the wall again.  
  
"That,"  
  
Sanji growled, his eyes flickering dangerously and making the biker gulp,  
  
"Is not how you treat a lady."  
  
Then he burst into a round of repeated kicks into the biker's gut. Then, he sharply kicked the biker's chin up before finishing off by slamming his heel onto his skull and driving him onto the floor with a painful crack.  
  
Sanji lifted his hands up to loosen his collar and his tie. Then, throwing the unconcious rider one last murderous look, he muttered,  
  
"Bastard."  
  
Brain switched back from reflex mode to normal mode. Wow, Sanji thought in surprise, I didn't know I had that sorta thing in me...   
  
Then he took his attention to the young lady lying on the floor in a crumpled heap. Hurrying over to her, he knelt down and held her up. She looked so frail and vunerable with her eyes closed, her lips parted slightly as her shoulders slumped. Sanji hesitated before brushing her hair back and tucking a lock behind her ear. Then he saw the swelling bruise to her left temple. He looked at it, horrified, when he saw an equally blue-black lump on her right shoulder.  
  
"What the hell did that @#$%er do to you,"  
  
Sanji whispered, his fingertips brushing against the swelling. This induced a wince from Nami, even while she was asleep, and she shivered. Sanji gently held her, wondering what he should do now, when he heard the roar of engines behind him. Sighing, he set the girl down so she was resting against the wall again, and then shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Then he heard, behind him, someone laughing.  
  
"Sorry, hero,"  
  
The person snickered,  
  
"But you've gone far enough. You just beat up one of our leaders back there."  
  
Sanji turned his head, and stared. In front of what looked about ten riders were two men, all of them unmounted from their bikes and wielding some sort of weapon. Was this dude wearing a fur-cap or something? He looked really weird. His eyes darted to the rider next to him, and this guy had half his hair shaved off. Come to think of it, the @#$%ing biker had paint on his face and a big red nose, too. What was up with these freaks?  
  
"Pay-back time."  
  
Said the weird half-shaved guy. Sanji stood up resolutely, and smiled at them.  
  
"With pleasure,"  
  
He replied.  
  
  
  
  
"It's starting to get really bad."  
  
Zoro commented, sweat-dropping as he saw Mr. Saunders scream and run like a girl as a bunch of riders pelted ice at him. Tashigi groaned below him.  
  
"I think we should get help - now."  
  
She stated, and Zoro nodded. Just then, a blond student ran out of the crowd of students. Tashigi gasped.  
  
"Oh my goodness! He's going to get hurt like that!"  
  
She cried, and almost as if to prove her point, a motorcyclist zoomed infront of him. Zoro squinted, straining his eyes a little, and then let out a small sound of surprise.  
  
"What?"  
  
Tashigi asked, growing panicky as the motorcyclist seemed to be threatening the blonde.  
  
"That's my roommate, Sanji."  
  
Zoro said, looking at him curiously as the model shoved his way past the motorcyclist. Tashigi looked at him incredulously.  
  
"Your room-mate?! That's--"  
  
She didn't get to finish her sentence.  
  
Both of them stared at the sudden display of action before them as Sanji kicked away eighteen riders effortlessly before disappearing through a gap in the curtains. There was a silence in the hall as nearly half the riders tried to pick themselves up from the assault, the students stirring and whispering amongst themselves. Then the sound of a plate breaking broke the air, and chaos resumed again as new riders zoomed about, breaking plates and screaming orders while torturing teachers. The riders on the floor were recovering, and some jumped onto their bikes and disappeared through the curtains.  
  
"That was amazing..."  
  
Tashigi finally breathed. Zoro nodded wordlessly. His eyes looked at the broom handle in his hand, and he suddenly felt very stupid with it. Tashigi smiled brightly at him, however, so he kept his dubious expression to himself.  
  
"Most of their number is down. Let's go get help!"  
  
Tashigi exclaimed, holding up her mop handle excitedly. Zoro sighed.  
  
"Okay, okay,"  
  
He said, fighting to keep the sense of disaster creeping into his voice, and he held up his broom handle awkwardly. It was good enough for Tashigi; she winked before running towards the backstage door and throwing the door open. The flow of motorcyclists had stopped now, but the back entrance by no means empty. Ten or so riders stared at the sudden appearance of a girl student.  
  
Gripping her handle tightly, she took a deep breath and swung her mop handle back. Then she whacked it over a biker's head. The girl cried out in pain before keeling to the ground, causing the other riders dismounted and looked at Tashigi with alarmed and guarded looks. Tashigi breathed a little.  
  
'Hey, I can do it,'  
  
She thought to herself, and the magical flow of confidence she always felt whenever she held her shinai filled her now. Grinning, she took her mop handle and ran across a rider, thwacking the guy across the abdomen. It was a blow that usually didn't work against opponents, but then again, the guy didn't look like he knew much kendo. He collapsed as a rider ran towards her before swinging a heavy metal pipe at her. She blocked the attack with the mop handle, scraping it upwards and off before jabbing him at the eyes with the handle end.  
  
Just as two riders tried to attack her at once, Zoro finally decided it was time for him to step in. He slipped in easily and held his broom handle up to block both blows of metal pipes. Both riders looked shocked that there was a second one as Zoro kicked them away, the metal bars clanging onto the floor. Zoro had no idea what to do with his handle. He glanced at Tashigi, and saw how she was slashing down at a girl's neck before straight-jabbing at her stomach. Then he glanced back at the two riders, now over being shocked but now infuriated.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Zoro found a quick grip on his handle before quickly imitating her; he brought the broom handle in an upward-slash directly at the wind-pipe of the guy's throat, and was relieved to meet contact and see it work. Then he quickly jabbed the other rider's stomach before thwacking him over the head, and let out an inner whoop at success when the second rider fell unconcious. Taking his attention back to the first rider, he jammed the handle into the guy's abdomen again, though finding it considerably harder than the previous sucker, then brought the handle up before swinging it down onto the rider's head with all his might.  
  
The broom handle met contact, cracked, splintered then snapped into halves.  
  
Zoro blinked, looking at his 'weapon' now reduced to a stick of wood before having it struck out of his hands by a very pissed off biker.  
  
'Uh oh,'  
  
Zoro thought, looking at the anger in the biker's eyes,  
  
'I'm in trouble.'  
  
  
  
  
[A/N: Wasn't that a long chapter? ^^;; So much for the dinner dance ending this chapter... it'll end the next one, I guess. XP Oh, one thing - I can't update frequently anymore... gomen nasai. T_T I was planning to finish this before the end of summer (coughs) but then I guess it wasn't possible..... oh well. ^^;; Thanks for the reviews so far~ it's a real treat to know when someone's still reading. ^^* BTW, I KNOW this chapter was just awful. I kinda rushed it, I guess... gomen... T_T;] 


	14. The Hawk Wave

Zoro stared at the menacing figure of a biker advance towards him, though a little sluggish from Zoro's attack, seeing slitted eyes and bared, yellow teeth leering at him.  
  
"Don't know where the hell *you* came from,"  
  
The biker seethed,  
  
"But you're dead."  
  
Zoro tried to ignore his sense of panic, his eyes scanning the area for something to help him. The wooden splinters on the floor weren't exactly an option.  
  
'Think, Zoro, think!'  
  
Frantic thoughts ran through his brain as he barely managed to duck under as a swift punch was swung at him, but he stumbled, losing his crouched balance and landing hard on his elbows. He hurriedly sat himself up, his fingers fumbling to spread on the floor, yet the shadow cast over him made him realise it was a Very Bad Thing that he had fallen over. He looked upward to see another fist flying towards his face, his eyes widening as he jerked himself back, but he knew he couldn't dodge at that speed -  
  
As they fumbled, his fingers found something it reacted to in reflex, his fingers automatically curling round in an all too familiar grip -   
  
He was unaware that both hands of his were swinging upwards in a blur of white-shirt and skin -  
  
His eyes shut and cringing, Zoro waited for the blow to land. The sound of a painful crack and intense pain at his jaw as the force of the punch threw him to the ground - these were the sensations he had been expecting and waited for. Nothing prepared Zoro for the dull and hollow metallic clang that sounded instead, the echo ringing in the back hall. His eyes opened in surprise.  
  
He was gripping the metal pipes the bikers had been holding before he had knocked them out of their hands. Holding them in a cross before him, he could see the fist had landed at center of the cross. The biker let out a howl of pain, drawing his hand back and massaging his reddening knuckles. His eyes darted towards Zoro, glaring as the green-head picked himself up and stared at his hands in shock.  
  
The familiarity that was coursing through him was alarming, and his eyes stared his fingers curled around the metal in curiousity. He had never learnt any sort of self-defense in his life, yet just now, he had performed what looked like a common defense move with the Two Sword Style Technique... he blinked. Two Sword what? Where on earth had that come from?  
  
Something was running through him now, however; something Zoro did not know yet recognised. He hadn't known how to hold the broom handle, yet with the metal bars he had somehow awakened some sort of knowledge in him - no, it was more of some sort of reflex - that knew how to grip properly. Had it been the panic? He didn't know, but something was stirring in him; something enormous was fighting to be let out, desperately wanting to be acknowledged -  
  
He saw -- no, felt a slight rustle of wind against his brow, and his arm automatically snapped itself up. The fist clanged again against the metal, and with fluid movement, Zoro slipped the bar beneath the wrist before swinging it up, slamming the bar against the side of the wrist. The rider looked stunned as the second bar sped toward his chest. A sharp crack in the air sounded as the end of the pipe sunk deep into the rider's ribs; a drawn out gasp of breath that was mingled with unspeakable pain confirmed his ribs were either cracked or broken from the blow.  
  
Zoro lifted a foot up and harshly kicked the motorcycler away, the motorcycler gripping his chest and wheezing in pain as he landed.  
  
'What the hell was that?!'  
  
Zoro thought in a haze of confusion. He could feel waves of euphoria washing over him as he felt adrenaline pump through his veins, the violence somewhat satisfying the need that clamoured in him. He could only describe what he felt like as a fire burning through him with the metal pipes in his grasp an outlet for the flames. And the moves he was performing were easy - so easy, in fact, it took no effort in calculating the correct amount of strength or angle of direction when swinging... he found it was something he was used to, something he had done so many times before it was impossible to forget.  
  
How was this possible?! He had never even twirled a baton in his life, unless you counted the relay races he used to participate in.  
  
Something nagged at him at the back of his brain...  
  
"It's clumsy."  
  
Zoro muttered, his eyebrows rising in surprise as the three syllables tumbled out of his mouth. He realised he wasn't completely familiar with the bars, but they had managed to trigger something in him. The something that wanted to be known flared up in intensity... It filled his ears with complete silence, but the yearning in him pleaded...  
  
'Zoro...'  
  
A voice whispered.  
  
Zoro sucked in his breath sharply as something broke in him - cracks spread rapidly and deeply before it crumbled - a wall that had been hiding something from him all this time... like a dam bursting, clear, sharp images rushed out and engulfed his mind --  
  
He saw a man smile at him behind his glasses, his callused hands raw and red from gripping shinais too hard and too long, a worn and beaten wooden dummy, dark grey clouds pouring endless rain...  
  
It wasn't only images, though...  
  
He could feel and taste the salty tinge of sweat stinging his eyes, the rawness of a throat too dry yet stubbornly rejecting water, every engraved line and knot his fingers were tightened around...  
  
He heard the rushing winds of sharply thrust swords of wood, his own heavy breathing, cracking posts of wood, screams of gathering strength and pounding feet against wooden floors...  
  
...and her voice. He could hear her laugh, feel the heat of her hand curled around his, see her smile.  
  
The voice that had whispered his name now whispered again.  
  
'...Wake up.'  
  
He opened his eyes, unaware he had been shutting them, and breathed in slowly. He noticed that several motorcyclists were surrounding him in a tight circle, their eyes trained on him suspiciously. All of them were wielding metal pipes, very much like the ones he was holding.  
  
He didn't know what had just happened, but right now he was full to bursting with unseen knowledge... it seeped through him, calming him down with a cool stream of pure confidence.  
  
"Zoro!!"  
  
Yelled a voice. He lifted his eyes, and saw over many spiked and dyed heads the concerned gaze of Tashigi. She was holding up her stand with her mop handle, though with great difficulty as she tried to fend off three people at once.  
  
And quite suddenly, a grin tugged at his lips. He let it spread, and watched Tashigi's expression change from horrified and worried to utterly confused. He felt his grin widen at that, and he switched his gaze from her questioning chocolate eyes to the goons around him.  
  
"W-we don't know what k-kind of stunt you just p-pulled,"  
  
One of the motorcyclers spluttered, his eyes glancing at the twisted form of the biker Zoro had just taken down,  
  
"But you b-better be on your knees and b-begging for mercy, or else--"  
  
Zoro just smiled.  
  
  
  
The screeching of sirens tearing past the highway by Usopp's apartment building startled him out of his brooding, causing him to peek out his window. He could see police cars and vans ripping past, sirens piercing the air and actually leaving a ringing in Usopp's ears when they sped away from sight.  
  
Unpressing his nose from the window, he tapped it in thought.  
  
"I hope it's just a coincidence they're headed towards the Grand Line University,"  
  
He murmured before sinking back to depression.   
  
  
  
"@#$% it!!"  
  
Krieg slammed a fist into a nearby locker. The spikes attached to the leather wrapped round his knuckles embedded heavily into the aluminium, leaving a deep fist-shaped indentation. Krow glanced at the dent and shook his head, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose with a palm before calmly saying,  
  
"By the sounds of it, the gang inside seem to have silenced many of the students. We should go in there and present the grand finale."  
  
"The 'grand finale' was supposed to conclude the @#$%ing dean as a @#$%ing asshole!! But he's gone, you @#$%ing idiot!! The @#$%ing coward @#$%ing ran away!! Don't you @#$%ing get it?!!"  
  
"I agree the plan has failed in that area,"  
  
Krow admitted slowly,  
  
"But we can't stay here forever. Someone will have contacted the police by now - for example, the dean."  
  
Krieg started to say something, but seemed to think better of it. He consented to letting out a long string of swear-words, trudging along towards the main-entrance of the auditorium. He stopped stock-still mid-way. A frown almost immediately darkened his features.  
  
"Is something wrong, Krieg?"  
  
Gin asked.  
  
"There's something weird going on."  
  
Krieg growled. With that, he stalked forward and strode into the auditorium, Krow and Gin following close behind.  
  
  
  
After pulling off an amazing body-blow like that, Tashigi couldn't take her eyes off the green-head. She was stunned.  
  
'Yeah right he doesn't know a bit of kendo!! He couldn't have pulled that off without any-- any experience!!'  
  
She fumed inwardly, then noticed as she cracked a rider over the skull with her mop handle that his eyes were glazed over. He seemed totally unfocused as other riders from the hall began to surround him. She waited for him to pull himself back together and into action or something, but to her horror, he closed his eyes, as though in deep thought.  
  
She could see the other riders sharing out metal pipes, and she couldn't go help because two other riders had somehow managed to attack her simultaneously. It was taking a lot of strength and time whacking them off her. When he opened his eyes again, Tashigi noticed that his eyes were suddenly so bright and clear he seemed like a different person. However, his body position was still relaxed and still, totally unresponsive to the riders surrounding him.  
  
"Zoro!!"  
  
Tashigi cried out. He turned his eyes to her, and shot her through with his confidence.  
  
So much confidence.  
  
Momentarily stunned, Tashigi stared at him, and her eyes widened in surprise and confusion when he grinned at her. She swung her mop handle blindly at the riders, unable to tear her eyes away from the over-flowing confidence.  
  
Even as one of the ten or so bikers surrounding Zoro threatened him, he only smiled. Then, one of them gave a quick nod, an apparent signal because all riders simultaneously lunged at Zoro, swinging their thick pipes of metal at him. Tashigi opened her mouth to cry out in horror, when Zoro caught her eye. He was still smiling as he mouthed just one word:  
  
Duck.  
  
She wanted to scream back 'What?!!' but was forced to duck down to avoid a harsh blow to the face. Everything after seemed so quick, yet it seemed to happen over an enormous expanse of time for Tashigi.  
  
He lifted the metal pipes clutched in each hand with smooth agility, his eyes glancing at them in mild question before shrugging and raising the pipes up. Spreading his arms out, he held the pipes at angles. He swiftly crouched to avoid a metal bar aimed for his head, and his loose and mild expression shifted to sheer concentration.  
  
Then he-- well, he disappeared. Sort of. In a blur of clothes, green-hair and skin, Zoro Roronoah shot upwards, his hair ruffling under the rushing air from the ultra jump. Tashigi's jaw dropped open. He spun himself over so he was facing down before he started to accelerate downwards. It had happened in a second, but Tashigi could see every single move with electrifying detail. It was obvious the others couldn't though, because as soon as Zoro sifted from ground to air, they blinked in confusion and shock at his 'vanishing act'.  
  
What happened next was done with almost God-speed. She saw his first attack on one person - a cross-slash aimed at the person's shoulder - before he blurred out of sight. He was so fast Tashigi could only see the white blur of his shirt as he used each person he hit as a point to increase his momentum. Tashigi's mouth opened even further when she realised he was channelling tremendous amounts of ki with each blow, blasting each rider with enough power to slam them onto the floor and render them unconcious.  
  
Despite the shouts and war-cries and loud clanging of mis-aimed pipes all followed shortly by harsh thumps and sharp cracks, however, Tashigi could heard his delighted laughter.  
  
The riders collapsed to the ground onto their knees, coughing out teeth and blood as they stared incredulously at their fallen comrades before crumpling completely. Within a minute, all riders were in a crumpled heap. Tashigi stood up, seeing the riders that had been attacking her previously also fallen to the floor, when she realised that Zoro was still speeding around, apparently unable to stop. Her eyes widened when she saw him shooting towards her. The next second, he lifted his pipes and slammed them down, digging them into the floor.  
  
The bars screeched with fierce intensity from the extreme friction, slowing Zoro down as he sped towards Tashigi until they let out a short, piercing screech before coming to a complete stop. Tashigi blinked, his nose almost touching hers. He had been very near to crashing into her. Her eyes glanced down to see two very long and deep streaks engraved into the floor behind the bars that Zoro was leaning against now.  
  
He seemed unbothered to move himself away from her, his cheeks flushed not from exertion but exhillaration, and his lips were tugged in a fascinated sort of grin. His breath gently tingled against Tashigi's lower lip as she brought her eyes to meet his. She could see he was in an extreme height of elation.   
  
Then she took a step back, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms. He arched an eyebrow in surprise.  
  
"What?"  
  
He asked.  
  
"Liar."  
  
She replied.  
  
  
[This is phenomenally long. I sincerely apologise. You must be so sick of my by now. T_T So I stuck on the next chapter. This makes the dinner-dance nine chapters long in total. Yikes! Gomen ne. T_T;;] 


	15. Retreat

Sanji slammed his foot onto a rider's nose with a satisfying crunch before whamming his heel excessively onto his skull. He tossed his head back before turning to the other riders.  
  
"Anymore?"  
  
Sanji asked with a grin. The motorcyclers stared at the pile of their companions on the floor unconcious, sharing uneasy and horrified looks. Sanji glanced back to check on Nami, and she was still lying there, his jacket snugly tucked around her shoulders as she rested against the wall. He smiled before turning his eyes back to the enemy - when he heard a loud rip somewhere behind the riders.  
  
Light poured into the back-area, the curtains hanging torn and open as heavy footfalls sounded.  
  
The riders turned, looking equally as surprised as Sanji did, when they all let out simultaneous gasps, many of them cringing. A tall man stepped out from behind the crowd, two others standing behind him, and Sanji could immediately tell he was the ring-leader.  
  
"What the @#$% is going on?!"  
  
The tall man demanded, his eyes sweeping across his fallen gang before settling on the only blonde standing. The eyes narrowed.  
  
"H-he's a monster, Cap'n!!"  
  
Gasped a rider,  
  
"He beat them up with only kicking!!"  
  
The ringleader did not look amused, and the others began chiming in.  
  
"Look, Don Krieg! He kicked down Stitches!!"  
  
"He broke Captain Buggy's jaw!!"  
  
"Buggy's unconcious now!!"  
  
"Everyone's unconcious now!!"  
  
Then a simulaneous cry of,  
  
"He's impossible to defeat!!"  
  
"SILENCE!!!"  
  
Everyone immediately shut up. Sanji blinked. Rage seemed to flare within the ringleader, Don Krieg, his eyes now fixated at Sanji.  
  
"You obviously didn't know what you were going to face at the end,"  
  
He hissed, and Sanji shrugged nonchalantly. However, he had a smug smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Krieg didn't miss it, and stepped forward, the tension mounting, his eyes blazing in ferocity when it sounded.  
  
A piercing wail of sirens.  
  
"Shit!!"  
  
"Krieg,"  
  
A man with glasses whom Sanji thought looked quite familiar nudged Krieg's elbow.  
  
"It's the police!!"  
  
Krieg bit his lip before glaring at Sanji.   
  
"We'll be seeing each other again soon,"  
  
He said angrily before looking at his gang.  
  
"HEAD OUT!!"  
  
He yelled,  
  
"GRAB A FALLEN COMRADE AND HEAD THE HELL OUT!!!"  
  
His voice was so loud the whole auditorium heard him.  
  
They didn't need telling twice. Grabbing a person or two, the riders dumped them over their motorcycles before mounting themselves. Sanji moved forward to stop them, when he realised Nami might get trampled in the process of panic-stricken riders rushing to their bikes. Sanji ran towards her, and managed to scoop her into his arms before a motorcycle ripped past them, narrowly saving Nami's legs from being run over. He held her as carefully as he could, stepping out of the mainstream of roaring motorcycles.  
  
Within minutes the whole place was completely devoid of gangsters or crazy motorcyclists. Students and teachers were confused and standing all over the place, unsure of what to do, but a blue-haired girl ran out, her blue hair streaming behind her as her eyes widened, beelining right towards a certain young model stumbling out from beyond the thick red curtains, very carefully and gently cradling her friend.  
  
  
  
"That was some crazy dinner dance."  
  
Zoro commented as he walked alongside Tashigi.  
  
"That was surely one of the most weirdest nights I've ever experienced."  
  
Tashigi agreed, then stopped at a door. Zoro followed suit, his eyes looking at the acryllic numbers 207 hanging on the door with interest.  
  
"See you."  
  
Zoro said, starting to walk on, when he felt a sharp tug at the neck. He let out a strangled sort of yelp before being pulled down so his collar was at Tashigi's eye level.  
  
"That's a weird knot,"  
  
She said curiously as she stared at his tie. Zoro looked away, feeling a little heat at his ears.  
  
"I don't know how to tie a tie."  
  
He said quickly, tugging back at it. Tashigi shook her head, tugging it towards her.  
  
"I'll tie it for you,"  
  
She said, engaging in a mini tug-of-war with Zoro and his tie. Zoro tried to think of a good reason, but ended up sighing in defeat when Tashigi pried the knot loose. She started to loop the tie properly. Zoro saw how concentrated she looked while fumbling with his tie, and felt his face grow a little warmer for, seemingly, no apparent reason.  
  
"I still can't believe you."  
  
She said after a moment.  
  
"You pull off some stunning moves that most likely exceed most of the most experienced people attending my dojo and you tell me you've never done kendo or any kind of offensive or defensive art before."  
  
"I really have never,"  
  
He said helplessly,  
  
"I just... well, just suddenly knew how to..."  
  
He found he couldn't describe it in words, and saw the disbelief etched on her face with a sweatdrop.  
  
"Yeah, sure. I'm fine if you don't want to tell me the truth. But it doesn't impress me."  
  
She said. A nerve twitched on his temple.  
  
"I'm telling you the truth! I really don't know how I did all that!!"  
  
He snapped. An identical nerve popped at her temple.  
  
"Oh, and I suddenly know how to fly!"  
  
She retorted.  
  
"Are you calling me a liar?!"  
  
He demanded.  
  
"Do you seriously expect me to believe that you just oh-so-suddenly got granted swordskill?!"  
  
"Fine, don't believe me if you don't want to."  
  
"Great, I don't believe you."  
  
"Yeah, well, fine with me."  
  
"You were really cool."  
  
"Yeah, well, I was just thinking-- what?"  
  
Zoro blinked, glancing down at the girl. She had a small blush dusting her cheek as she continued,  
  
"I'd never seen skill like that before. You-- you were amazing."  
  
Zoro stared. Were his ears warming even further? She stepped back, tapping the tie with a finger before turning to her room. She unlocked and opened the door, entering before she turned to face him with a smile.  
  
"Thanks for walking me here."  
  
"It was sort of involuntary."  
  
He said, and she laughed a little.  
  
"True. Thanks anyways. Good night."  
  
"'Night."  
  
He caught her shy sort of smile before the door shut with a click, leaving Zoro in a deserted corridor. It was deserted because the rest were being questioned - he and her had sort of managed to escape the police through the back entrance.  
  
His thoughts tracked back to when he had held those metal pipes. Two words kept repeating in his head... 'Hawk Wave'. Somehow, he knew it was the title of the stunt he had performed. He didn't know how he knew it - all he could think of was that he had learnt everything a very long time ago, though he had no idea when.  
  
He felt elated and happy at the moment - he had been deliriously so while slashing away at the bozos. He was finding it difficult to pin his feelings on just words, but perhaps the best word he could think of was... fulfilled. That was it; he felt complete. He felt no more defencelessness. He found he could grin with pure confidence. He felt great. And he felt very, very tired.  
  
Realising he was still standing, he shook his head to rid of his train of thought, and slowly dragged himself across the floor to reach the stairs. On the way, his fingers wandered up his tie and touched the knot. He blinked in surprise upon contact, and glanced down. He smiled and a small laugh escaped his lips before he started the weary climb up the stairs.  
  
The knot was no better than before.  
  
  
  
Sanji had a lot of thoughts running through his head now.  
  
He was somewhat glad he had managed to slip out while everyone was being questioned.  
  
He was also extremely worried at the same time about Nami's condition. She had seemed peaceful when he had passed her to Vivi to take care of, but he was still concerned.  
  
He was surprised and quite confused about his skill in kicking. He found, as he fought, that he had no idea on how to punch much, but knew perfectly well how to kick. He was-- experienced in kicking. He had never really kicked anyone in his life, though, so he wasn't too sure about his skills.  
  
The words Krieg had left him with was rotating in his head annoyingly.  
  
*** We'll be seeing each other again soon. ***   
  
He wasn't sure he wanted to, but at the same time wanted to kick the guy's ass. Because there was something about him - the dude next to him too, in particular, sporting the same white and blue striped head-band - they both looked disturbingly familiar. But he didn't remember when he had ever seen anyone remotely like them before...  
  
Groaning, Sanji realised he was getting a headache from all the kicking and the thinking. Concerned though he was about Nami, he felt like dropping dead - he was that tired. He had never been this tired before.  
  
  
  
They walked from opposite ends of the floor before meeting just before the door to their dorm. The green-head and the blonde exchanged looks of slight surprise before they both looked down towards their pockets.  
  
Zoro pulled out the key first, stuck it in then pushed the door open.  
  
They had a lot to talk about - how the dinner-dance went, what happened when the motorcyclers burst in, about Sanji's out-burst of kicks, when the police had come in, the damage left behind in the auditorium...  
  
Yet, somehow, for the first time since they had met each other the two agreed whole-heartedly on one thing: they desperately needed some sleep. They walked into the dark room, shut the door, then collapsed into their respective beds fully-clothed.  
  
Talk could come later.  
  
  
  
  
A/N: This is soooooooo long. O.o;; Sorry... I didn't realise it'd take this long... lol. XD Anyways, this FINALLY concludes the dinner-dance. Yayyy. ^^;;; Thanks soooo much for bearing with me for this long! ^_^*  
  
  
Note about Zoro's move: I took the title 'Hawk Wave' from this page: http://members.rogers.com/donvo/ Thanks! ^^* It's a move Zoro pulled off in volume 12 while defeating a 100 Baroque Workers in Whiskey Peak. It's cool, but I incorporated a lot of unexplained detail (hehe, I took a bit of the description off the page) and basically invented a lot of what happened in that single cut in which the 'Hawk Wave' is performed. Oh, a note - Zoro did NOT perform the move properly in the previous chapter. This is due to many reasons - the most important being that he wasn't using swords. This is why the end of the move was wonky. Okay, I better shut up before I give too much away... ~_^;; 


	16. Conflict

  
Her eyes opened to meet the shine of white light. Letting out a muffled mumble, she sat herself up.   
  
She felt gritty.  
  
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Nami peered around the room, blinking furiously and shaking her head at what she saw.  
  
"Why do I feel so crappy?"  
  
She muttered, running a hand over the side of her face, and she slid her fingers to tuck hair behind an ear when she felt agonising pain soak through her head. She winced, her cringing brow making the pain even worse, and scrambled to get out from her tangle of sheets. She noticed there was glitter all over the bed, and looking at herself, saw she was still wearing the red dress for the dinner dance.  
  
Nami slipped her feet into the slippers below before shuffling over to Vivi's dresser. Her shoulder was pulsing dull pain through her back. She lowered herself to look into the mirror, and let out a small groan.  
  
A large bruise was a vivid purple at her temple, and her right shoulder had a slightly swollen lump of blue. She remembered now; she had been attempting escape when she was hit across the shoulder. The last thing she remembered was someone calling her name before being hit with metal. The severe flash of pain before bashing into the wall were her last sensations before blacking out. She had never blacked out before, but she thought it sucked. It felt positively ick.  
  
She carefully brought her fingertips to the bruise at her head, feeling pain pulsate through her brain even at the lightest touch, when she heard a door swing open. Turning, Nami saw Vivi stepping out of the bathroom, towelling her face. She glanced at Nami, then dropped her towel.  
  
"Nami! When did you wake up?"  
  
She exclaimed, rushing over to her.  
  
"Just now,"  
  
Nami said, then noticed a long streak of open skin at Vivi's upper arm that was starting to grow red.  
  
"Your arm! Vivi, how did you get that?!"  
  
"Uhm, it's nothing... just a scratch from a plate, that's all... Why are we talking about me?? What happened to you!?"  
  
Nami saw Vivi glaring at her shoulder, and sighed.  
  
"I got caught trying to escape, and I got beat up pretty badly, I guess. Did you lug me all the way up here? What happened? Did the police come?"  
  
"Yeah, they did."  
  
Vivi said, nodding, and she sat on her bed. Nami settled herself next to her.  
  
"But they came after all the motorcyclists ran away. All that remained were the tire-tracks they made all over the auditorium floor."  
  
Nami grimaced.  
  
"Great... so you people found me after, huh? How embarrassing."  
  
Vivi shook her head, her eyes oddly bright.  
  
"No, Nami. Sandy White brought you up."  
  
Nami bolted upright.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"It's not that big a deal,"  
  
Vivi started hesitantly, when Nami shook her head vigorously.  
  
"Don't you understand, Vivi? You know I don't like-- no, you know I hate him!! He's so-- so stuck up!! I bet he went prattling on that he 'saved' me--"  
  
"Nami, you're the one who doesn't understand!!"  
  
Vivi yelled, and Nami realised she had been shouting herself. She looked at Vivi defiantly, and Vivi continued, though more quietly,  
  
"He really did save you. He went all out, beating up all the bad guys the moment I told him you went behind the curtains. He's really strong, you know - he beat up nearly twenty of those maniacs within a minute."  
  
Nami rolled her eyes.  
  
"Great. Now he's macho man."  
  
Vivi looked at Nami strangely before continuing,  
  
"He told me what those terrible people did to you, and said he was sorry he didn't save you any earlier. He carried you up, and only left when your colour was a bit more healthier."  
  
Nami felt her chest contract painfully, and covered her cringe with a clearing of her throat, anguish filling her - almost burning her.  
  
There was definitely something wrong between her and blonde, and she didn't know why, but it hurt. It hurt a lot. She didn't want to even think about him 'saving' her, let alone 'care' for her. She hid her pain with a glazed look.  
  
Nami was very good at covering up what she really felt. She could conjure up words she didn't really mean very quickly, her tone and her attitude automatic in locking her character into what she was saying. Not even close friends could know what Nami really thought when she made a quick opinion up on the spot to cover up what she truly felt.  
  
But, although she would never admit it out loud, sometimes, Nami wanted to drop down her mask of painlessness and speak out what she felt. But she didn't want to admit she was going through trouble. She had a deep streak of independance in her that refused to let out any weaknesses.  
  
But really, all it required to get Nami to open up a bit was to prod her a little.  
  
Though it was a subconcious desire, she truly wanted people to want to know her. She wanted people to care and talk to her, and try to find out what she really felt. She wanted them to realise she wasn't saying what she actually thought. But she absolutely hated the idea of speaking out herself.  
  
Unfortunately, the people listening needed to see her fumble or give a sign that she wasn't telling the complete truth.  
  
Unfortunate because when Nami lied about her thoughts, they spilled out uncontrollably. Her mind did not betray her feelings of regret or shock at even her words, and showed an impassive expression.  
  
No one could ever think about Nami thinking something else other than what she was saying. People thought she was outspoken and honest with her opinion. They thought she was truly intending to lavish when compliments poured out, or hurt when brazen comments lashed out. They could never figure out that she wasn't saying what they thought she was saying.  
  
Because she was too good at hiding what she felt.  
  
Too good.  
  
"He was probably trying to hit on you, Vivi,"  
  
Nami said nonchalantly, and Vivi's jaw dropped open in surprise.  
  
Nami had on some sort of twisted smirk as she kicked her legs out, leaning back onto the bedspread.  
  
"He was just using me to get to you, Vi. It worked, didn't it?"  
  
There was a long, awkward silence, Vivi staring at the orange-haired girl as she looked at the ceiling with mild interest, as though the light interested her more than the subject at hand. Nami carefully avoided eye-contact.  
  
"He's always trying to hit on girls, isn't he? Tch, using his 'I am a model' identity - it's sad. I guess I should feel sorry for you that you're on his next target list."  
  
Suddenly, Vivi stood up abruptly, and stalked off towards her closet. Nami raised her eyebrows, trailing her gaze to Vivi's back.  
  
"Where're you going?"  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
She blinked.  
  
"But we don't have any classes today."  
  
"I can't really stand much more of you, to tell you the truth."  
  
Nami had never heard irritation in Vivi's voice. She even more surprised when she saw Vivi tie her hair back in such a way her bangs were slicked back. Nami knew for a fact that Vivi never tied her hair like that unless she was *really* pissed.  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
Nami asked. Vivi turned, her eyes cold and glaring.  
  
"I think you know what's wrong."  
  
Vivi retorted. Nami was too surprised at the icy tone in Vivi's voice to reply. She wasn't given much of a chance to, though.  
  
"Nami, you've never been the one to judge by appearance or rumours. What the hell's wrong with you now? You don't know him at all, do you? I don't know what problem you have with the guy and I don't know what the hell you base your assumptions on, but I know that he likes you a lot. He doesn't deserve to be talked like that from you, of all people, Nami."  
  
"I didn't know you loved him that much."  
  
Nami snapped, but regretted the words even as they spilled out of her mouth. She looked at the wall across her stubbornly while Vivi stared at her incredulously.  
  
Letting out her breath, Vivi turned, setting a hand on the doorknob. She paused.  
  
"This is ridiculous,"  
  
Vivi muttered,  
  
"I don't see why he was so worried about you, even after you rejected him back at the dance. Not when you can get so bitchy just talking about him."  
  
Without waiting for a reply, Vivi pulled the door open, swept through, and shut the door with a snap. Nami collapsed onto her back on Vivi's bed, squeezing her eyes shut to block out the bright white light filtering through the windows. She pressed the cool skin of her arm to her eyelids, and let out a slow sigh.  
  
This was the first argument she and Vivi had ever gone through ever since they had met as room-mates. She had never seen Vivi get so mad - in fact, she didn't remember Vivi getting mad at anything or anyone... and she was mad at *her*.  
  
"Did I do something that stupid?"  
  
Nami murmured softly. She was startled to feel tears of resentment welling.  
  
"Don't cry, Nami, that's just stupid,"  
  
She mumbled, but annoyingly enough a tear managed to sneak its way out of the corner of her eye to wet her wrist. The disgustingly cheerful chirping of the birds and insects outside ceased quite suddenly to a silence.  
  
"Hurray..."  
  
Nami mumbled.  
  
_"..I'm never going to cry again. I'll do it alone..."_  
  
Nami blinked behind her arm, another tear trickling down her cheek at the action.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Nothing happened. She closed her eyes again, wondering what she had just heard, when it happened again.  
  
_"...Bellemere-san..."_  
  
She heard sounds of sobbing... of herself sobbing.  
  
_"...But you have to see my map!! You have to see...."_  
  
Behind her shut lids, Nami saw the faint outline of... a cross?  
  
_"GO AWAY!! You don't even know what's going on!! Just go!! Just... go..."_  
  
Hysterical crying and wracking sobs followed the enraged words.  
  
_"...H-help me... Lu-..."_  
  
Nami's eyes flew open as she realised she was hearing actual words, seeing actual images, when the chirping and humming of the birds and insects outside were brought back to full force to her ears.  
  
She sat back up, looking around alarmedly, and saw nothing different. Yet something was different.  
  
What was this feeling like...?  
  
Nami tried to recall where she had last felt so strange. It was... yes, that was it. She remembered now - she had felt like this with Usopp, when he had told her about Arlong... she felt her fingers curl into a fist just at the memory of the name. Surprised, she tried to get the strength out of her fingers, but they refused to relax.  
  
She had also felt like this while dancing with Sanji, now that she thought about it. That was right - she had nearly forgotten about that... Why had she called him that? She had no clue... but it seemed so right with him. Again, her chest felt like it was being tightly drawn around with a drawstring just at the remembrance of his blissful eyes at the time they had been dancing together, his blond strands of hair loosely brushing against his forehead while he grinned a goofy grin. She shook her head sharply, but only felt the pain intensify.  
  
Nami began to wonder if he really did like her, and if he really did not deserve all the words she hadn't even meant anyway, then gave herself mental slap for even thinking about it.  
  
  
  
  
Zoro bit into a hashbrown Sanji had just handed him, an eyebrow quirking.  
  
"I don't really get you,"  
  
He mumbled through a mouthful of his breakfast. Sanji rolled his eyes, sitting down on the edge of his mattress with a slice of toast in his hand.  
  
"Come on,"  
  
Sanji said with a frown,  
  
"Don't you have to admit that-- that there's something weird going on? There's some strange stuff between me and a lot of things, but you and me in particular..."  
  
Zoro shook his head, taking another bite.  
  
"You have got to be kidding,"  
  
Sanji said exasperatedly, slathering his toast with butter with a bit more vigor than necessary,  
  
"You mean you never thought anything was wrong between us?"  
  
"Well, I know you hate me..."  
  
"And vice-versa, but that's not the point. I mean -- don't you-- don't you feel like--"  
  
Sanji waved his arm around, trying to get the right expression as Zoro finished his hashbrown and reached for another,  
  
"Like-- we've met somewhere before?!"  
  
There was a short silence as Zoro blinked, Sanji looking at him expectantly. Then he returned to his hashbrown.  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Not really?!!"  
  
Sanji yelped, nearly dropping his toast. Zoro raised his eyebrows again.  
  
"What are you getting at?"  
  
He asked. Sanji chewed his toast thoughtfully.  
  
Since the first time he had met the green-head, Sanji had felt a jolt of queer recognition. He was sure he had never met Zoro in his life - if they had met as kids, the familiarity he felt between himself and Zoro didn't match the sort of childish memories he had. But something was there.  
  
It was weird how he and Zoro got so easily agitated with each other even though they had barely known each other for a week.  
  
It was weird when he had been repeating 'I'll kill you some day' and had felt something fill him, though it had emptied almost immediately.  
  
It was weird that Zoro had known he could cook even though he had never told Zoro he could.  
  
It was really, really weird.  
  
"How did you know I could cook?"  
  
Sanji said suddenly. Zoro shrugged.  
  
"I guess you told me."  
  
"I never did. I would never and will never tell anyone I had just met three days ago about me liking to cook."  
  
Zoro furrowed his brow. He thought about it for a minute.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Sanji prompted.  
  
"...I guess I don't know how I know. I just... know. You know,"  
  
Zoro said, finally getting a little serious but confusing Sanji with his prevalent use of 'know',  
  
"I guess you're right. That is a little weird."  
  
"See?! I told you!"  
  
Sanji exclaimed, waving his toast about. Zoro picked up the fifth and last hashbrown from the plate on the dormitory's sidetable.  
  
"Did I ever meet you before?"  
  
He asked.  
  
"You idiot, that's what I just asked you. But to answer the question, I can't recall any meeting."  
  
Zoro took a good, long look at Sanji's face, squinting a little. Sanji looked taken back.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"If I stare at your face for long enough, I might remember something."  
  
Zoro explained.  
  
"Should've expected nothing more from your standard,"  
  
Sanji commented, rolling his eyes. Zoro's eye twitched, but he returned to his breakfast without retorting.  
  
"I don't really know why,"  
  
Zoro said after a minute of eating with no talk,  
  
"So don't ask. But for some really crazy reason, I seem to recall you having a curl at the end of your eyebrows. Did you shave it off or something?"  
  
Sanji stared at Zoro as though the green-head had just asked him if he wanted to attach another nose to his face.  
  
"Hell, no,"  
  
The model said, crinkling his nose,  
  
"What gave you that idea?"  
  
"I told you that I don't really know why,"  
  
Zoro replied, getting up and stretching,  
  
"And I told you not to ask. Dumbass pretty-boy."  
  
A nerve twitched dangerously on Sanji's head.  
  
"And I told you not to call me that, cabbage-head."  
  
"Pretty-boy."  
  
"Cabbage-head."  
  
"Dumb blonde."  
  
"Dense cabbage."  
  
"Stupid cook."  
  
"Stupid swordsman!"  
  
"Dumbass bastard!!"  
  
"....!!"  
  
Sanji had his mouth open, but he couldn't seem to find a retort quick enough. He consented to gritting his teeth and glaring at Zoro.  
  
He felt frustration grow in him as a slightly smug smile tugged at Zoro's mouth. The green-head pulled the dorm door open, gave an annoying wave before he slammed it shut behind him, leaving Sanji to simmer on his bed.  
  
"ARGH!!"  
  
He kicked his bedpost angrily, not noticing the wall it was against cracking and splintering as he collapsed on his bed.  
  
Then he blinked.  
  
Swordsman?  
  
  
  
  
He groaned as he picked himself up, his hands groping about the gravel until they found his glasses.  
  
"Stupid @#$%ing laces,"  
  
He grumbled, shoving the glasses on with a hand roughly before starting to tie up his shoelaces. People passing gasped and whispered at the young boy fumbling at his sneakers disgruntledly. His eyes snapped up, the lenses flashing.  
  
"What are you staring at?!"  
  
He yelled. People quickly turned their heads away from the small boy and walked past. He grumbled a litle more. As he glared at some more passerbys, his eyes were suddenly drawn to a newspaper article tucked under someone's arm. He crawled over and grabbed it, quickly, startling the poor man half to death as he pored over the images and words with sparkling eyes.  
  
"This is it!!"  
  
He exclaimed.  
  
"Uh... kid, that's mine,"  
  
The man said timidly. The boy blinked before graciously handing it back to the man.  
  
"Thank you," Said the boy with a sweet smile. Whistling, the little boy scampered off, his scarlet jumper a red blue within the crowds.  
  
  
  
  
Usopp exited the Melinda Charity house just as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket.  
  
He pulled it out and yawned before he answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Feeling up to a brunch?"  
  
Usopp blinked.  
  
"Well, I haven't had breakfast yet. So sure, why not?"  
  
"Could we meet at my uni at around ten-thirty?"  
  
He checked his watch. 10:10, and he was fifteen minutes away from the university.  
  
"Okay, Nami, I'll be right over,"  
  
Usopp said, then slid the mobile phone into his bag. He could tell from the tone in Nami's voice something was troubling her. He sighed.  
  
A lot of things had been going on lately... Perhaps this would be a good time to tell her about the dream he had had lately about her past, he mused, and about him meeting with Kaya...  
  
Deep in thought as he walked, he accidentally bumped straight into someone.  
  
"Sorry,"  
  
Usopp apologised, rubbing his long nose, when he stopped, his eyes widening.  
  
"It's okay,"  
  
Said the guy dismissively.  
  
He was probably around Usopp's age, what with his height and build. He was wearing a black vest that was unbuttoned and a friendly, loose grin. As he ran a hand through his tousled hair, something un-indentifiable clicked in Usopp. The person gave a small nod before continuing on his way, tucking his hands into his jeans.  
  
Usopp stared after the guy, blinking in confusion.  
  
The guy was... strangely...  
  
_Familiar._  
  
Then he realised he was still standing and blocking some of the pavement, and quickly side-tracked to a lamp-post. He craned his neck to see him again, but the guy's head was lost amongst the mob of pedestrians on the pavement.  
  
"It can't be..."  
  
Usopp said out loud, his confusion plain on his face.   
  
He continued to stand there for quite a while, passing people wondering what the he was doing with his mouth open in the middle of a sidewalk.  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Hmmm. I got a terrible writer's block around here but I managed to pull through it. Thanks so much for your reviews and your support!! I truly appreciate it!! ^^* Hmmm. Well, I hope this chapter will have some people happy. ^^;; Thanks again... oh, and one note - the 'volley of insults' was *supposed to be* stupid... ^^;;;  
  
  
  
**_::note:: One of my friends reads this fic, and one day on MSN, he asked me, 'Whatsup?' I told him I was typing up another chapter for 'Reborn', and he told me he hadn't read it in quite a while, and as I had been in a middle of a really bad crisis in the fic (I feared it was getting really bad... ;;) I told him 'Don't bother... it's really bad, and it's been awful lately, and blah and blah...' Then he told me, '-.- You know I will anyways'....  
I found that really sweet. ^^* *awwwwww*... Thanks, 'nukie'... that inspired me.  
(I just had to share this with you peeps.)_   
  
  



	17. Recognition

  
  
He looked behind him, blinking.  
  
Had he just seen someone familiar? He scratched his head confusedly.  
  
"Dude, where have you been?!"  
  
He turned his head towards the voice - a very annoyed friend of his.  
  
"You're late!"  
  
"Sorry,"  
  
He laughed, clapping his friend on the back. He buttoned up his vest and grinned as his friend rolled his eyes.  
  
And before the day was out, he'd completely forgotten about the guy with the long nose.  
  
  
  
  
_ Her eyelashes fluttering against her cheek, his eyes bright and full of adrenaline, his grin full of happiness and confidence, his skin slightly flushed from excitement, his breath warm and gentle against her lower lip..._  
  
"Aaahhh!! Stop thinking about him!!"  
  
Tashigi thrashed herself over the head with her pillow.  
  
"--Impure thoughts impure thoughts impure thoughts--"  
  
She muttered the words like a mantra, forcing her thoughts away from the green-head to another matter.  
  
To Tashigi, last night had been one of the most important events she'd ever have in her life.  
  
Admittedly, it had started like a nightmare - she being a fool to believe and allowing herself to lean on something unstable that had ultimately cracked and crashed down. She had been unable to stop herself from falling, and had ended up going over the last line of defense and self-dignity . And she had ended up unable to stop crying, shamefully exposing her weakness for her enemy to see.  
  
Yet she'd been 'rescued' by someone - someone tied her torn dress back up with ribbons, who had held her hand, helped her up and finally woken her up after so many years.  
  
_ "It's your fault, you know. You're the one who cowered behind a boy for protection."_  
  
The words rebounded around her head.  
  
Strangely enough, Tashigi hadn't been insulted or annoyed. The words had sunk in far beyond her usual wall of pride and defense, and she had found that she had nothing to say. It was completely true.  
  
Well, she wasn't going to back down anymore, and cower behind someone else when the very same person could turn around and stab you... or simply walk away, the shadows that had provided safety through the comfort of its darkness slipping off to leave you standing in the exposure of painfully blinding light. Just like Smoker had... although it hadn't been intentional.  
  
If she thought about it, there was something Zoro Roronoah and Smoker had in common. It wasn't their personality or looks that held any similarity, but Tashigi could _feel_ something in the atmosphere that was identical when she was with these two particular people. Something in her attempted to tug itself out of the deep crevices of her mind, nudging her brain and trying to get her to remember how to free it.  
  
His eyes returned to her; the eyes he wore the moment he held up the metal pipes... His eyes looking right into hers, shooting through her with the confidence and pride she lacked. They had shocked and mesmerised her, and from that moment, Tashigi felt something in her tilt. Something tilt towards realisation... that she only had that sort of pride when she had held her swords.  
  
What had struck her was that he had still had the confidence in him after he had let go of his weapons. While he walked up the stairs with her and left her in her dormitory. And that was something Tashigi was unable to do - maintain pride within herself, and not just her skill. To be proud of the fact _she_ was the one who could wield swords, not the skill itself.  
  
She was thinking about it, and little by little, Tashigi was slowly letting herself wonder what the true meaning of confidence was.  
  
Sighing, Tashigi tossed her pillow away from herself, scooping up her wallet, and headed to the door.  
  
She needed some air, a couple of books from her locker and a soda.  
  
A cold one.  
  
  
  
  
He clapped his hands in delight.  
  
"Thank you!"  
  
He exclaimed, and throwing his money across the counter, he grabbed the double-decker super chocolate cone and happily started to lick it. A few drops of chocolate sauce spilled onto his red jumper, and he groaned, rubbing at it. When it only smeared, the boy gave up and continued to eat his ice-cream. A small alarm bell rung in his head, but he ignored it.  
  
Okay, so he wasn't supposed to be eating double-decker super chocolate cones when he had a job to do, but-- come on, he was a kid, and he wasn't supposed to be heavily burdened with such boring assignments.  
  
He gulped down the rest of the cone and grinned at the man behind the counter, who was straightening his hat and eyeing the kid incredulously.  
  
"Can I have another one?"  
  
The small boy asked, putting on a sweet smile. The man couldn't hide his surprise, but he lifted the glass above the ice-cream tubs, unhooking the ice-cream scooper from the wall. His customer threw money over the counter again, eagerly taking the double-decker super chocolate cone into his small hands.  
  
The warning bell rang louder in the kid's mind. He pouted.  
  
"I'll go after this one,"  
  
He said between licks,  
  
"I promise."  
  
The ringing stopped, and the small boy smiled before finishing his fifth cone. Then he smiled brightly at the ice-cream seller, who was wondering who the boy was talking to.  
  
"Another one?"  
  
Asked the man, looking half hopeful and half disbelieving. When the little boy shook his head, he sighed in relief.  
  
"I was just wondering,"  
  
The boy said with a tilt of his head,  
  
"If you happen to know where the GrandLine university is?"  
  
  
  
  
"Miss Kaya,"  
  
Merii called from the main entrance. Kaya peeked over the top of the staircase.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm going to confirm your advertisement appointment with Mr. Colin. Will you be okay alone?"  
  
He looked worried. He was the only servant that wasn't out on their holiday, and he didn't want to leave the sick girl alone. But the actress smiled, and gave a small wave. He waved back, turned and shut the door behind him.  
  
Kaya waited for a few minutes, and sure enough, heard the slam of a car door and a screech as it left. Then she pulled on a windbreaker, pulling the hood over her head and putting on a pair of blue shades as she slipped her feet into a pair of sandals.  
  
She couldn't stay at home alone doing nothing. Kaya knew for a fact that Merii wasn't searching for Usopp at all; she knew he disapproved of her going on a mad-search for a boy she couldn't even name properly.  
  
"Sorry Merii,"  
  
She murmured, picking up her purse, and clutching her coat to herself, she stole through the side-door.  
  
The sun filtered through her shades, and for a moment she allowed herself to bask in the warmth of the sunlight. Then, with her face set in determination, she stepped away from her house and joined the crowds of people on the streets.  
  
  
  
  
She swept the lock of hair that leant against her left cheek behind her ear, waiting quietly when she heard footsteps behind her. A familiarly warm feeling spread through her, and she turned her head to see a certain green-head. He had his blue bandanna on, but a few strands of green touched his brow.  
  
"Hey Zoro,"  
  
She greeted with a smile. The green-head looked up, his expression of mild surprise. She noticed his lips tugged in a grin that she had never seen on his face... yet it suited him so well, she was sure she must have seen him with that sort of brimming confidence before.  
  
A subtle sense of recognition and content filled Zoro, and he relaxed in his position.  
  
"Nami."  
  
He replied. He was holding a can of orange-juice in a hand, which Nami swept off him and drank, savouring the coolness of the orange flavour. Zoro gave a small scowl.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
He said sarcastically. Smirking, she handed the empty can to Zoro. His scowl deepened as he realised the lack of juice, and he dropped it to crush it flat with his heel. She took a step back, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Whoa, calm down, cowboy."  
  
"I was thirsty."  
  
He picked up the mash of metal to toss it into a trashcan.  
  
There was a pause - but it held no awkwardness. They stood there quite comfortably, and they both sensed this had something to do with the other's presence... and that was strange. It was as if they had known each for such a long time, they were fine with silences. But they had only been acquainted for four days.  
  
Zoro wondered when he had told Nami his name during those brief moments they had talked, when just then, the sound of someone pounding up the main staircase sounded. Both Zoro and Nami glanced up to see Usopp, his glasses slipping down his long nose as he attempted to push it back up. He kept missing, though, and went on jabbing his eye. Nami blinked in surprise.  
  
"Hey, didn't know you wanted to see me this quick,"  
  
Nami joked. Usopp paused to catch his breath before looking up.  
  
"Listen, I have got loads to tell you,"  
  
He said. His eyes darted from Zoro to Nami as he spoke.  
  
"We have to talk!"  
  
"What's so urgent?"  
  
Zoro asked curiously.  
  
"I think I saw someone I know!!"  
  
Usopp said with the air of someone announcing a wonderful scientific discovery.  
  
"Oh really, Usopp? Guess what? I think I'm seeing someone I know right now."  
  
Zoro said with a smirk. Usopp opened his mouth to retort, when he rolled his eyes.  
  
"I give up. You're impossible to communicate with, Zoro. Anyways, Nami, as I was saying--"  
  
"Hang on,"  
  
Nami interrupted, holding her hands up to emphasise her words. She gave them both incredulous and questioning looks.  
  
"You two met each other before?"   
  
Zoro arched an eyebrow as Usopp looked at Nami in surprise.  
  
"Of course we met,"  
  
Usopp said easily,  
  
"You both helped out at my village when it was--"  
  
A sudden pang of shock shot through Usopp as he realised what he was saying, and his eyes rounded and widened. Nami stared at Usopp.  
  
A hazy image flashed at Usopp's eyes - black bandanna, green hair, striped waistband - and he stared at Zoro.  
  
"What?"  
  
Zoro asked as Nami and Usopp stared at him as though he had just popped out of the ground,  
  
"He's right, we both helped him when his village was attacked, right?"  
  
This made Nami and Usopp's jaws drop simultaneously. However, Usopp still managed to repeat,  
  
"My village?"  
  
"That's right,"  
  
Zoro said nonchalantly,  
  
"It was attacked, remember?"  
  
As soon as the words fell from his lips, Zoro felt something strongly ripple through him. He realised. His eyes widened as he said confusedly,  
  
"Wait a minute. I don't know you, do I, Usopp?"  
  
"I don't know you either."  
  
Usopp answered slowly.  
  
"But you know each others' names. I never told any of you the other's names."  
  
Zoro and Usopp turned to look at Nami, who looked just as confused as they did.  
  
"How did you know about my village?"  
  
Usopp asked. Zoro frowned.  
  
"I-- I honestly don't know."  
  
Zoro said truthfully, still frowning,  
  
"But I--"  
  
Vivid images cut through his mind, flickering like a candle flame. Flashes of colourful clothes, glints off swords and knives, malicious smiles and a swarm of them running up a slope towards him - Zoro continued,  
  
"I-- I remember Usopp's village being attacked by-- by pirates."  
  
"Pirates?"  
  
Nami whispered. The word shot through all of their minds, and all the content, warmth and anticipation they had been feeling swelled and burst, filling each of them with a flood of emotion.  
  
Shock impended on all of them as they saw that there was recognition amongst them, recollections of unknown memories, familarity beyond grasp. But most of all, the greatest shock was the fact that they realised they definitely knew each other without mistake.  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Sorry for the delay! XP But I'm over my writer's block, I think, so I hope the next chapter rolls out smoothly. ^_^; Thanks for bearing with me uptil now! ^^***   
  
_::note:: Please understand that there are TWO people being mentioned - one OLDER person around Usopp's age, and a KID. DO NOT THINK THEY ARE THE SAME PERSON. THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. I know it's confusing because I never mention names until someone calls their name out, but try not to get confused. ^^;;_


	18. Searching

  
A huge fist adorned in metal punched the wall heavily, deep cracks rippling out into the concrete as Krieg let out a raged roar.  
  
"Captain Krieg,--"  
  
One of his cronies tried to say something, but Krieg glared at him so murderously his words drowned into a squeak. Breathing heavily, he sat into a chair, narrowing his eyes at the wreckage of rusted bits of cars he had torn out in his surge of anger.  
  
He had not calmed down since his return, and his henchmen were cowering in the corner of the garage. The garage belonged to a abandoned gas-station they used as their den, and their motorcycles were usually packed into the garage. However, at the moment, their vehicles were stacked outside the garage, scattered everywhere, and the used cars dumped behind the gas-station had been crushed and torn apart by Krieg the moment he had arrived.  
  
He seemed to be resting for a moment, but the fire in his eyes said otherwise. His gang knew he was probably wondering what to tear up next.  
  
Just then, his cell-phone rang, loud and clear, from Krieg's jacket pocket. He pulled it out of his clothes, and judging the way he was clenching it with his teeth gnashed together, the others cringed, waiting for him to crush it to pieces to silence the irritating ring.  
  
But to the great surprise of his cronies, Krieg flicked the cell-phone open and pressed it to his ear.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
He said through clenched teeth. The gang waited in bated breath for Krieg to scream at the person on the other end. Again, they underestimated Krieg.  
  
"Actually, Krow, you're right,"  
  
Krieg growled,  
  
"It's the 'swordsman' and the 'kicker', the mother@#$%ers that ruined the whole @#$%ing plan--"  
  
Another pause, and Krieg questioned in a low growl,  
  
"Revenge?"  
  
His gang watched incredulously as Krieg's lips suddenly bared back to reveal his gums as he grinned widely and maliciously.  
  
"You're right. I absolutely hate,"  
  
He seethed through his grin,  
  
"Letting anyone who gets in my way stay in stable condition. I'll get Gin."  
  
With that, he shut the cell-phone and slammed it onto the table before him. The others had been waiting for him to crack the table apart, and were glad he had refrained from doing so.  
  
"GIN!!"  
  
He yelled. Gin emerged from the gang, the shadows beneath his eyes darker than usual.  
  
"Yes, Captain Krieg?"  
  
"I want you to contact someone for me,"  
  
The way Krieg was smiling and grinning with a maniacal edge, yet speaking with a voice so full of anger, made him look somewhat more psycho than usual. An involuntary shiver ran through Krieg's gang.  
  
  
  
  
"Let me this straight,"  
  
Nami said while tapping her spoon against her temple,  
  
"You two have never met each other, but you have memories of each other?"  
  
Usopp and Zoro nodded.  
  
"Maybe we met as kids or something..."  
  
The young engineer faltered, remembering that his recollections were not of child memories, but memories of his current age.  
  
"I definitely remember a village,"  
  
Zoro said resolutely, and taking a bite of a hamburger, he added,  
  
"And we were _not_ kids."  
  
Nami looked intently at the green-head before asking slowly,  
  
"How about me?"  
  
Zoro swallowed his food. He returned Nami's gaze in surprise.  
  
"You?"  
  
"Yeah... because I'm so sure I've met you somewhere before. Not as kids."  
  
There was a short pause, when Zoro suddenly jerked back, as though he had been shocked.  
  
"I remember kids,"  
  
Zoro said, his brows furrowed. Nami and Usopp looked at him, confusedly.  
  
He shut his eyes, feeling a pain stir deep in his chest, and when he opened his eyes, the booth the three had been sitting in had changed. It was like a faded image of a smaller booth, the table scrubbed and wooden, the clear glasses replaced with ceramic tea cups and saucers. The whole image was unsettled, the outlines of everything blurred badly and cross-hatched like a double-image.  
  
Across him, someone was sitting, but it wasn't Usopp or Nami. He couldn't see who it was - his vision was so messed up he could barely made out a red splotch and black hair. To his right, Zoro could just see in his peripheral a blur of familiarly orange hair.  
  
His gaze shifted to his left. His view cleared a little, and he could see something like a bar, what with the stools lined before a long table, and his eyes travelled lower to see... three small children, waving something at him. All of a sudden, his vision sharpened - air and noise rushed past his ears, and he drew in a sharp gasp - and he heard the kids cry out in unison,  
  
_ "Where did you hide our Captain Usopp?!!"_  
  
Zoro sneezed, and blinking, he found himself abruptly brought back to the booth he had been at, noise and chatter surrounding him, the plastic-topped table covered with plates and glasses. He shook his head sharply, and brought himself to look at Usopp and Nami, who were staring at him in surprise.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Nami asked. He looked at her, and to the utter bewilderment of Nami and Usopp, burst into laughter.  
  
"Uhh... Zoro?"  
  
Usopp prompted, watching with a sweatdrop as the green-head gripped his glass and banged it against the table with sharp clinks as he laughed. He calmed down rather quickly, and looking straight at Nami, said,  
  
"About your captain..."  
  
Nami looked back at him in confusion.  
  
"What?"  
  
Zoro grinned.  
  
"We ate him."  
  
He said, and chuckled.  
  
"You're scaring me."  
  
Usopp said, edging away from Zoro, when a jolt ran through Nami, causing her to exhale sharply, her eyes unfocusing.  
  
"Oh, great, what is it with you two?!"  
  
Usopp cried out in exasperation, but Nami's eyes focused again, and she actually _giggled_.  
  
"Good grief,"  
  
Usopp said in disbelief as Zoro and Nami began to laugh together.  
  
"And they _fainted_. Because you said stupid stuff."  
  
Nami said, laughing. The familiarity was enveloping her in the most warmth and comfort she had ever felt before. Usopp stared at both of them in confusion.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
He asked.  
  
"I think it happened when we were at your village,"  
  
Nami said thoughtfully, sifting through the images of the kids and linking their words with Usopp's dreams.  
  
"Your little 'clan'... remember, you told me about them? They were asking for their 'captain Usopp'. And Zoro made some joke about us eating you. Plus they called me a witch..."  
  
Oblivious to Usopp's horrified face, her eyes narrowed and she shot a glare at Zoro, who hastily continued,  
  
"You weren't there, though, Usopp. You were over at some mansion. That blonde girl's mansion."  
  
The words flowed out so quickly, Zoro didn't realise what he was saying until he noticed Usopp's jaw had dropped open. Zoro shook his head.  
  
"Sorry. I did it again... I said something weird again. And I don't even know where it came from--"  
  
"There is something seriously weird going on,"  
  
Nami interrupted. Zoro blinked, seeing now that Usopp and Nami were looking at him very seriously and curiously. Usopp pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath before he began,  
  
"I have dreams of something like another life. In that 'life', I've seen you two in them - but you two are pretty different in my dreams... for example, Nami, you look a bit different, and Zoro, you're a swordsman or something..."  
  
Zoro's eyes widened.  
  
_Swordsman...?!!_  
  
Split-second flashes of wooden floor-boards, swinging bokkens, pounding feet and a flurry of petals in a wind rushed past Zoro's eyes.  
  
_"Stupid swordsman!"_  
  
He sucked in his breath sharply, and he stared at Usopp. Usopp had his hair in a pony-tail, but Zoro could see a faded overlaid image of him with a 'kerchief tied over loose hair, like the first time he had seen him, and in place of glasses a pair of goggles.  
  
The engineer continued, having not noticed Zoro's shock at his words.  
  
"I always thought it was some sort of crazy imagination my sub-concious managed to cook up... but take a look at the situation. Zoro knows who I am. And if that isn't weird enough, he knows the content of my dreams!  
  
"Nami, well, I've always known you since the primary school, haven't I? So you've always known me. And you know my dreams - I always tell you about them. But... okay, I sort of hate to bring this up, but remember when I told you about-- Arlong?"  
  
Nami bit her lip, nodded. Zoro noticed her hand suddenly grip her spoon tightly. He tried racking his memory for the name, but not to much avail.  
  
"You had a huge reaction to that. Remember? Your glass cracking and everything?"  
  
Nami nodded again. At the farthest corner of her mind, she could hear laughter. She could recognise it, but it wasn't the welcoming familiarity she felt from those currently around her, but something uneasy and unsettling, something almost _painful_. Her hand started to shake violently, much to the surprise of the green-head across her.  
  
She started when Zoro put a hand onto hers abruptly, and slid the spoon out of her grasp.  
  
"Calm down."  
  
He said, an eyebrow arched. She pressed her hands to her head, massaging her temples.  
  
"I'm starting to get a headache,"  
  
She muttered. Usopp looked at her concernedly.  
  
"Is this really too much to think about?"  
  
He asked worriedly. He received a knock on the head in response.  
  
"It's not that, moron,"  
  
She said, rolling her eyes, and went back to gently rubbing at her temples, adding,  
  
"Go on."  
  
"It's just that... well, if Zoro knows his part in my dreams, and you recognise your role as well, then doesn't this mean something? Like... maybe..."  
  
He hesitated. Nami noticed he was looking a little abashed  
  
"Like maybe what?"  
  
Zoro prodded. Usopp rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly.  
  
"Uhh... this sounds really far-fetched, but..."  
  
  
  
  
His heart thumped loudly in his chest as he walked across the pink granite, so loud the little boy should hear it in his ears.  
  
"It's not _that_ exciting,"  
  
He muttered, but the only response was a faster heartbeat. He rolled his eyes, and jumped up a few steps before entering the main foyer. A young woman with large spectacles and purple lipstick smiled kindly at the young child, and she leaned down to talk to the boy. He pressed his fingers onto the glass of the front desk, opening his eyes widely.  
  
"How may I help you, dear? Looking for your older sibling?"  
  
The lady asked, obviously taken by his little kid appearance. He smiled sweetly, stopping himself from wrinkling his nose from the strong white-musk perfume he could smell from the lady, and asked innocently,  
  
"Yes, I am. Is there a Zoro Roronoah here? Spelt Z-O-R-O R-O-R-O-N-O-A-H."  
  
The lady smiled.  
  
"I'll take a moment, darling,"  
  
Her long fingers tapped sharply against each key of her computer. He waited, pasting the sweet smile on his face, and as the minutes ticked by, he inwardly whined about how long it was taking. The lady finally turned to smile sympathetically at the small boy.  
  
"I'm sorry dear, there isn't any 'Zoro Roronoah' here."  
  
His smile nearly dropped off his face, but he managed to turn it into a childish pout.  
  
"Oh... Thank you very much, miss."  
  
She waved, her smile bright as he skipped off and out of the university. Once he was out, he let out a very aggravated sigh. He pulled out a notebook from his pocket, a pen dangling from a string tied to the binder. He flipped over several pages before he crossed out from the list of universities 'Redwood University' with four deep and hard strokes of the pen.  
  
Stuffing the notebook back into his pocket, he grumbled,  
  
"Damn it, they're not here, either!"  
  
He felt depression stir in his chest, and groaned.  
  
"Look, I'm going to go to the next university. Stop getting all sad on me."  
  
He snapped. Satisfied when the depression perked back to expectant, he set for for the next university on the list.  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: I am sooo sorry I made it so confusing. T_T Believe it or not, I demolished my storyboard because I found out something - everything after the dinner-dance sucked. So I reconstructed an extremely vague storyboard, but because it's not really in detail, I'm going along with what the characters do when the situation arises. So I no longer can really say how long the whole thing will be, but please bear with me like you've done until now, you wonderful people. ^^* Thanks! (And, haha, please drop off a review... just to see who's still reading.)**  
  
_::note:: Zoro remembered a scene from the third volume of the manga of OP. ^_^; You can see a scanslation somewhere on my site, yes, shameless plugging, bwahahaha... XD_   
  



	19. Misconceptions

  
  
Sanji was turning things over in his mind as he checked his timetable before pulling out the books required.  
  
'I called him a stupid swordsman.'  
  
He thought,  
  
'That was completely random and weird, but what's even weirder is that he took in the insult as though it was a normal thing to say.'  
  
He slipped in his Literature folder into his bag, reminding himself to complete the essay due on Tuesday, and slammed his locker shut. Walking down the stairs, he continued his train of thought.  
  
'I don't think the green-haired twerp gets it, but we're linked somehow. I don't really know how, but we definitely knew each other some time...'  
  
As he walked out of the learning complex of the university, stepping onto the soft soil as he headed towards the dormitory building, he thought,  
  
'Say we know each other because we were once abducted on the same alien mothership? And we were brainwashed after or something?"  
  
He let out a snort of laughter at the idea. As he walked on, Sanji noticed several people were crowded around the pavement before the front entrance of GrandLine. Curious, Sanji changed his course and joined the ring of people. He blinked at what the people were watching interestedly.  
  
A young man, perhaps a year or two younger than Sanji, was swerving in circles in the center with another guy of similar age on skateboards they had obviously crafted covers for themselves. One of two skateboarders caught Sanji's eye in particular. He had a black vest that he had unbuttoned halfway down his chest, his trousers baggy and his hair was black and slightly ruffled. There was something about him that made Sanji stare at him curiously.  
  
The young model soon found out why people were watching them so intently; the guy Sanji had been staring at bent his knees low, dragging his speed down and shifting his foot position. The spectators seemed to be in a hush of expectation.  
  
Suddenly, he jammed his sneaker against the tail-end of the skateboard and lifted his foot off it. The end snapped against the concrete, raising the board up as he dragged his other foot the other direction. He deftly kicked the other end of the board with his heel before completely departing from the suspended board. It flipped round in midair completely before being slapped back onto the ground with his foot, quickly followed by the other. A short, awed silence followed before his partner broke it by laughing and calling out,  
  
"You haven't done a heel flip in ages, have you? That was crusty!"  
  
"It was not!!"  
  
The guy yelled back in protest. The crowd laughed, letting out cheers and whistles. Sanji wondered what on earth the guy's friend meant by 'crusty' - the guy had kept perfect balance throughout the whole trick, letting the board flip right underneath him while he was still in the air, and when he had landed, he had been able to continue to skating around as though he had never performed the trick at all. He looked at him, amazed by the talent.  
  
As Sanji watched the skateboarder grin goofily as his friend performed a kickflip, drawing whoops and more cheers from the admiring crowd, he realised the guy looked _familiar_. It was the same sort of feeling he got whenever he argued with Zoro - a sense of having gone through it before. His eyes widened at the realisation, when he heard another familiar voice shout behind him, although it was a completely different sense of recognition.  
  
"Get out! Stop disturbing the campus!!"  
  
The crowd spun around to face their dean, who looked greatly displeased at the skateboarders.  
  
"Aww. Later,"  
  
The skateboarders performed quick 360 spins on their skateboards before waving and skating away.  
  
Sanji quite suddenly felt very disappointed - like had just missed a great opportunity. It was not a feeling he was comfortable with. Deciding it was because the skateboarder had been chased away, he glared at the dean. Sanji noticed with mild surprise that he wasn't the only one.  
  
Then he remembered - the previous evening, the dean had mysteriously disappeared while everyone else had been in total chaos. And it had taken quite a while for the police to arrive because the dean hadn't been the one to contact them. In fact, it looked as though Mr. Harrison had cowardly hidden himself, letting his students and other staff members to deal with the assault.  
  
The dean's face turned red as the students brushed past him roughly. None of them gave him their usual greetings or smiles, and instead of their usual friendly chatter amongst themselves, they passed in stony silence. He opened his mouth, as though he wanted to say something, but he continued to open and shut his mouth like a fish.  
  
Sanji set himself off towards his dormitory, ignoring the pleading glance Mr. Harrison threw at him, and as he neared the building, he found himself thinking about the paleness of Nami's face last night.  
  
'I hope Nami's okay.'  
  
He thought, but something told him that visiting her now was not the best thing to do. Perhaps it was just the fact that he wasn't in the mood to.  
  
Instead, Sanji headed to his room to get a start on his Literature essay, deciding to visit his concern later on.  
  
  
  
  
"Uhh... this sounds really far-fetched, but..."  
  
Usopp looked down at his hands nervously,  
  
"Maybe... we belong to an alternative reality?"  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut, expecting Nami to burst out laughing and Zoro to yawn, but to his surprise, there was no response for a moment. Then,  
  
"Alternative reality?"  
  
He opened his eyes, surprised that the two looked like they were seriously considering his idea.  
  
"Uhm... I was thinking about it, and... well, it looks like we all know each other, but not from our own direct histories. But we have... memories of each other in a different background. So... maybe we know each other in an alternative reality? As in, another life?"  
  
"That's really twisted,"  
  
Zoro commented. Usopp turned red, and opened his mouth to hurriedly remove his idea, when Zoro continued,  
  
"But I think that could be what's going on."  
  
"I mean, what else could be going on?"  
  
Nami agreed. Usopp was so surprised they were accepting his thoughts he was dumbfounded momentarily. Then, realising he was should explain what else deepened the theory, he said,  
  
"It's not just us, though... I-- I met that blonde girl from the mansion. I met her on Wednesday."  
  
Zoro and Nami both spluttered in the middle of drinking their sodas.  
  
"You met--?!"  
  
"I mean, I saw her, but we couldn't talk."  
  
He began explaining hurriedly,  
  
"She was going out of a studio or something, so there was this big crowd--"  
  
"Studio?!"  
  
"Yeah, I was on the way home after meeting you, Nami, but I ended up seeing someone so familiar I pushed through the mob, and--"  
  
"Mob?!"  
  
"Of reporters and stuff, since Kaya's an actress and everything--"  
  
"KAYA?!! Hang on, you mean the girl from your dreams is--?!"  
  
"Just listen!! I shoved through and saw her for a few seconds face to face, and the moment she looked at me, she _knew my name_."  
  
Nami looked stunned, headache forgotten.  
  
"You mean... Kaya, the girl who stars in 'Amber Signs', is the girl you told stories to in your dreams?"  
  
Usopp nodded, sweatdropping at the fact that he had no idea what 'Amber Signs' was and had only found out she was an actress the day before.  
  
"She knew your name, huh?"  
  
Zoro murmured, poking at the ice in his soda with his straw.  
  
"Yeah... I think she's part of this as well."  
  
"Is that what you meant by 'I think I saw someone I know!'?"  
  
Usopp blinked, and remembered what had made him run up the front steps of the GrandLine University earlier on.  
  
"No, I think I saw someone else. Someone also part of this..."  
  
Nami snorted.  
  
"What _is_ 'this' anyways?"  
  
"This-- this weird conspiracy thing where we know each other,"  
  
Usopp said, making a face at the terms he was forced to use in the lack of better words to phrase the situation,  
  
"I mean-- I think this guy is somewhat connected to this. It's not just us, I'm sure of it. There are others, too, like Kaya, who are part of-- of 'this'. This alternative reality thing. I saw this guy that also looked familiar..."  
  
"Did he know your name?"  
  
Usopp sweatdropped, recalling the extremely brief encounter.  
  
"Er, no. In fact, I doubt he even recognised me."  
  
"That's weird. Didn't we kind of know each other on the spot?."  
  
Zoro said with a slight frown. Usopp sighed.  
  
"I know... but I was staring after for quite a while - he looked so familiar, seriously."  
  
"Maybe he doesn't know yet?"  
  
She suggested.  
  
"But none of us really 'knew' either - we were all on sub-concious terms of recognition. I'm so sure that guy I saw is part of this."  
  
Usopp said, a hint of frustration edging his voice. Zoro leaned back in his seat, his eyes looking at the ceiling as he thought. There was something tickling the back of his brain...  
  
_"Don't you-- don't you feel like-- like-- we've met somewhere before?!"_  
  
'That's right,'  
  
Zoro realised as he remembered,  
  
'There _is_ something weird with me and Sanji. He said that to me...'  
  
He remembered that the 'weird' things were non-existant recollections from both him and Sanji.  
  
'And he called me a stupid swordsman, just like the time I called him a stupid cook.'  
  
He mused to himself. He turned his gaze to Usopp.  
  
"You know, I think I also know someone else part of the 'conspiracy',"  
  
Zoro said thoughtfully. Nami and Usopp turned to him in surprise.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"My room-mate... there's something weird about him too. Similarly disturbing things, like memories that never happened..."  
  
He looked at Nami, and asked,  
  
"You know Sanji?"  
  
Nami's eyes seemed to blank out for a few seconds before she returned, her eyes widening.  
  
"Sanji-kun?! I mean-- Sanji is Sandy White's real name?!"  
  
Zoro looked surprised.  
  
"Oh yeah... Sandy White, was it? Yeah, that's Sanji. Guess you know him since he's a model and everything, huh."  
  
Nami slumped in her seat, shocked.  
  
_That means... I knew his real name when we were dancing? But how? ...Does this mean there's a reason for everything? Everytime I see him, a reason for that-- that pain? I-- I KNOW HIM?_  
  
"What's wrong, Na-chan?"  
  
Usopp asked worriedly. Nami immediately snapped back to normal. Usopp never used that nickname for her unless he was either extremely nostalgic at the moment or extremely concerned.  
  
"Nothing! I-It's just that... I don't r-really..."  
  
Nami shook her head, waving her hands in front of her to emphasise herself.  
  
"Forget it."  
  
Usopp knew better than to chase the subject, and so started to summarise thoughtfully.  
  
"There's definitely something going on... We all know each other but not through this lifetime. Through - maybe - an alternative reality, right?"  
  
"You mean, you think we're shifting realities back and forth?"  
  
Zoro asked. Usopp blinked.  
  
"Uhh... you mean, those occasional visions we get?"  
  
He asked without thinking. Nami and Zoro both exclaimed out at once,  
  
"Yes!!"  
  
They shrank back into their seats when they realised they had been a little too loud, causing others to stare at them.  
  
"You mean... you get visions too, right?"  
  
Usopp said interestedly.  
  
"I think so. I just got one now, with the 'we ate him' joke,"  
  
Nami said. Then she paused before hesitantly starting again,  
  
"Actually, rather than shifting realities... that felt more like..."  
  
"A memory?"  
  
Zoro supplied, thinking of the recallings of 'memories that never happened' between him and Sanji. Nami nodded slowly.  
  
"But... then again... don't you ever get those moments where you feel like you've missed something? Like... you have remnants of something deep inside your mind... but when you start to draw it out, they disappear, and you feel like you were thinking of something you can't remember?"  
  
She flushed, feeling incredibly stupid, and she hastily started to say,  
  
"Ignore me, I'm speaking crap--"  
  
"I get what you mean,"  
  
Zoro intervened, his eyes slightly unfocused as he frowned in concentration. Nami blinked in surprise.  
  
"It happened to me several times during the dinner-dance..."  
  
"Same here!"  
  
Nami cried. Usopp sweatdropped.  
  
"I... just get them occasionally. Moments where I'm sure something happened, but..."  
  
"You can't remember what. That's what I mean."  
  
There was a silence as the three tried to figure what all this meant. Usopp noted that where his plate was half-finished, Zoro had finished his food already, and Nami hadn't even touched her food.  
  
After a while, however, Zoro let out a laugh.  
  
"This is just plain weird."  
  
He concluded, grinning. Nami blinked as Usopp let out a snort, a grin tugging at his mouth.  
  
"Actually, this is kind of stupid, since we might not even get an answer."  
  
Nami's eyes twinkled as she suggested with a hint of amusement in her voice,  
  
"You mean like figuring out the meaning of life?"  
  
The three burst out laughing, this time ignoring the stares from people surrounding them.  
  
If only they knew.  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: ^^* I'm so happy you people acknowledged you're still reading! ^^* Thanks - it means a lot to know. The chapters are shorter, I know - the things that happen do require less description, and there's a lot more discussion, meaning loads of breaks in dialogue. I don't measure in words - I measure in length of text, which is probably why the chapters seem shorter. ~.~;; Gomen ne... but I'll be churning out about a chapter a week, if possible... because I've gotten around two chapters in advance. This way I can fix any errors I didn't think of before and edit them to better standard, but I don't know... thanks for your reading and reviews, and for bearing with me uptil now. ^^* Luffy! Luffy! Luffy! I cannot wait until I can write about Luffy-sama in detail. ~.^**   
  



	20. Charming

  
"An assembly?"  
  
Nami brushed a hand through her hair, and obsercing the notice in disbelief. The A3 sheet posted at the center of the corkboard in the foyer of the main building of GrandLine stood out amongst the other yellow sheets.  
  
"Looks like the dean is looking for a chance to explain his sudden disappearance."  
  
Zoro commented.  
  
"That _was_ suspicious,"  
  
Nami agreed. She turned her head towards the stairs, and noticed a flash of blue hair.  
  
"I've got some Maths to do, so I'll see you later."  
  
She said quickly, and winking and patting Zoro on the shoulder, she turned and hurried after her friend.  
  
Zoro took another glance at the notice before shaking his head, and turned to exit the complex when he remembered - he had Maths to do as well.  
  
"I nearly forgot about that,"  
  
He thought. Climbing up two flights of stairs, he searched for his locker. Several people were there, digging through loose-leaf papers while cleaning out their lockers, and some trying to kick their locker-doors shut. Upon finding his own locker, Zoro spun the dial to his combination number and easily found his Maths papers. His locker was pretty empty - he had only gone through Maths and Music so far, after all.  
  
He closed his locker with ease, and turned around to leave the floor, when his view of a corridor with students and concrete floor was suddenly intercepted with a huge blur of greyish-silver. The blur was so big, it filled his entire vision, and it was so fast in coming he had no time to react before it smacked him straight in the face.  
  
His hands found their way to his head, his eyes screwed shut with the pain pulsing from his nose to his ears. He stumbled into his locker, and waited for the pain to subside. After a minute or so, when the stinging faded, Zoro opened his eyes, wondering what the hell had hit him, when he saw the huge grey-silver thing right next to him.  
  
It was the locker door beside his own. Grumbling and tugging his bandanna lower, he stepped sideways to see which student had flung their locker door open so vigorously. His eyes widened in surprise.  
  
Tashigi obviously had no idea what she had done to the person next to her. A small stack of books and papers lay at her feet, and she was having great difficulty trying to pull out a textbook from the huge mess of a pile from within her locker. Tugging at it, she gasped as the books precariously balancing atop the textbook started to topple. She slammed her palm against the books, and quickly pulled out her textbook.  
  
Zoro found himself watching the girl, highly entertained by the way she was completely oblivious of him looking at her trying to balance her pile of books and folders. Finally, when she had the books in a somewhat manageable stack, she took a deep breath before stepping back and slamming her locker shut. Zoro could hear the things inside tumbling down against the door, but Tashigi was already hastily spinning the combination lock.  
  
She held her breath as she lifted her hands off the door, but let it out in relief when it didn't burst open. Bending down, she scooped up her books and stood up, but as it was quite a pile, they started to over-balance. Tashigi let out a small cry as her stack started to fall apart, when Zoro stepped over and took the pile of books from her. She blinked in surprise at the sudden appearance of muscular arms, and her eyes travelled to his face.  
  
"Zoro!"  
  
She said in surprise. Then, her eyes looking furtively from her locker to his amused expression, a heavy blush filled her cheeks.  
  
"Err... you didn't see that, did you?"  
  
Zoro grinned, starting to walk with the stack of textbooks across the corridor.  
  
"Actually, I find your level of disorganisation quite charming,"  
  
He said lightly. Her blush deepened as she grabbed her bag and hurried after him, slapping him on the shoulder.  
  
"That's not funny!"  
  
"Plus, I've never seen anyone quite so charmingly open their locker. You hit innocent people on the face with enough force to knock down a building, young lady."  
  
"W-was that you? I didn't know what the smacking noise was..."  
  
"Right."  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't know--"  
  
"It's quite alright. It was a charming experience."  
  
"Stop-- stop talking like that! Stop using that word!"  
  
"You stop whacking me first, Miss. Charming."  
  
As Zoro hurriedly walked forward to avoid Tashigi's thwacks, they didn't notice Jenna and Carrie pass by.  
  
The two girls narrowed their eyes at the sight of the black-haired girl arguing good-naturedly with Zoro. Jenna's fingers with its long, purple-coated nails curled into a tight and shaking fist as she let out a curse with a long hiss.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Vivi!"  
  
Nami finally caught up to the girl, who stopped walking, but didn't turn to face her.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Vivi asked icily.  
  
"Listen... I'm not good at apologising, Vivi... but I... I didn't mean to get you so pissed off at me this morning."  
  
When she didn't say anything, Nami continued,  
  
"I'm serious. You're right; I don't know anything about Sandy White. But--"  
  
"It's okay."  
  
Vivi interrupted. Nami blinked as her friend's eyes met hers.  
  
"I... I guess I was just hurt, Nami. Because... well, it's none of my business, I guess, whether you hate the guy or not. But it's not like you, Nami, to judge someone so quickly. And if you do have a reason for having something against this guy -- why don't you tell me what it is?"  
  
Seeing and realising what the pain reflected in her friend's eyes meant, Nami took Vivi's hand, squeezing it gently.  
  
"I'm sorry Vivi. It's just that it's so confusing."  
  
She started, when Vivi stepped on her foot, making Nami yelp in pain. She looked at Nami irritatedly.  
  
"What the heck do you think I'm here for? Hellloooo, I'm just a little thing in the back of Nami's mind, something she doesn't even want to bother explaining things to..."  
  
Nami laughed, holding her friend's hand tightly.  
  
"It's not like that! It really _is_ confusing... but if you really want to know, I'll attempt to explain it to you."  
  
Vivi smiled, replying,  
  
"Now, that's more like it."  
  
"Yeah, but I warn you... it's going to give you a bit of a headache."  
  
Vivi raised an eyebrow, and Nami held her hands up in mock surrender.  
  
"Okay, you win, you win! Anything to avoid Vivi, the scary ice-woman."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"I'm only kidding! Well, sort of... No, seriously, Vivi, I'll explain everything to you."  
  
"After the assembly?"  
  
"Yeah. And just to be safe... you better bring an aspirin."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sanji yawned.  
  
'Man... when will the dude shut up?'  
  
The model thought irritably as the dean made a wide and sweeping gesture, trying to describe the night's events. Mr. Harrison walked in long strides across the stage of the now cleared auditorium. So far, the dean had just finished describing how awful the event was. He was now talking about security.  
  
Bored, Sanji scanned the audience, and noticed unsurprisedly that no one was listening to the dean. His eyes caught a flash of orange somewhere at the front seats, and he focused to see Nami sitting. He felt relief seep through him at the fact the girl looked fine. She also looked like she was listening with rapt attention.  
  
_Amazing,_ Sanji thought with a shake of his head. Vivi, next to her, was sitting relaxedly and twiddling something in her fingers. He squinted to see that there was a cord between Nami and Vivi, connected to something the blue-haired girl was holding idly--  
  
Sanji had to stifle his snort of laughter when he realised they were listening to Vivi's MD player while pretending to listen to the dean on the front row seats. _Now that is truly amazing._  
  
His eyes travelled along, and he saw his room-mate sitting wih his arms crossed sitting at the right side of the hall. He was leaning against someone, who looked extremely flustered. Sanji recognised the rhythmetic rise and fall of the green-head's shoulders - he had fallen asleep, and was now unconciously leaning against a girl.  
  
Sanji scowled - how dare he use the innocence of a girl! - when he realised that probably wasn't it because the girl was practically burrowing her elbow into his ribs to no avail. And besides... this was Zoro he was thinking about.  
  
The blonde watched interestedly as Zoro shifted position to lean more comfortably, causing the girl's face to turn scarlet.  
  
_I wonder who the girl is?_  
  
Sanji thought with an amused smirk as the girl tried to sock Zoro in the stomach, only to have him yawn but not wake up. He heard scuffling beside him, and turning his head away from the green-head, saw two students scrawling tic-tac-toe into a notebook.  
  
'I hope the dean shuts his trap soon.'  
  
He thought, sinking into his chair, when the dean cleared his throat and announced,  
  
"Therefore higher security measures will be taken. Teachers will regularly patrol floors at nights. If you have any information about those-- those motorcyclists, please report it to my office immediately."  
  
Mr. Harrison paused before finishing,  
  
"You are dismissed. Good night."  
  
The auditorium erupted with chatter and shifting students, accompanied by the sounds of chairs scraping across the floor.  
  
"Finally!"  
  
Sanji grumbled, and made his way to the aisle. He craned his neck, hoping to catch a glimpse of tangerine amongst the heads, but failed to do so. He had been thinking about seeing her later on at her dorm room, but now wondered if the new security measures would restrict him from doing that. Muttering to himself in annoyance, he let the students infront of him and behind jostle him forward.  
  
'Oh well... I can visit Nami-san tomorrow.'  
  
He decided.  
  
Accepting without realising what he had just called her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wake up!!"  
  
When there was no reaction, Tashigi finally reached the end of her tether, and stood up abruptly. The green-head smacked into the hard plastic of her chair, and promptly sat up, blinking stars out of his eyes.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
He rubbed his eyes, getting to his feet. He looked around, oblivious to Tashigi glare.  
  
"Is it finished?"  
  
He asked. Tashigi rolled her eyes, and walked towards the aisle. Zoro followed, still trying to figure out why he been woken up in such a brusque way.  
  
"Man, he just droned on and on..."  
  
Zoro commented, stretching his arms.  
  
"I know, but you should at least try to listen."  
  
"Well, what was he saying?"  
  
"Uhm... something about new security measures,"  
  
She said vaguely. He laughed.  
  
"See? You weren't listening either."  
  
Tashigi had to bite her lip so she wouldn't punch him again. Normally she'd listen to the dean, and if it hadn't been for the green-head leaning on her to sleep, she would have. His gentle breathing against her collar-bone had been strangely unnerving. Re-adjusting her glasses to hide her blush, Tashigi replied,  
  
"Well, at least I was awake."  
  
Zoro seemed about to answer her, when he noticed a certain blonde somewhere in the front of the line of students edging through the aisle. He remembered he wanted to talk to the model before he fell asleep.  
  
"See you."  
  
He clapped her on the back absent-mindedly before weaving through the crowd of students to reach Sanji. Tashigi had to pause in order to get some air back into her winded lungs.  
  
  
  
  
  
The small boy stumbled along, his sneakers tangled in his laces. He struggled to try to stand without tripping, but ended up slamming face-first into the gravel.  
  
"@#$%,"  
  
He muttered, trying to pull out his laces, and grimaced at the dirt caking it.  
  
"@#$%ing laces..."  
  
Something deep inside his chest began to tug at the attention of the irritated boy.  
  
"What is it?!"  
  
He hissed. He felt a warmth tug urgently at his right ear. Sighing, he turned to face his right. Two youths were skating about on skateboards, performing stunts and cheering whenever another spectator joined the crowd around them.  
  
One of them struck a chord in the boy. He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh, him. Right."  
  
He rolled his eyes as he unknotted his sneakers to retie them again.  
  
"Listen, we're not to concern him. At all. Okay?"  
  
The eagerness in him dropped almost immediately into disappointment. The small boy ignored the high whining in his head.  
  
"Look, we haven't got time for this,"  
  
He muttered irritably,  
  
"We've got to leave that guy alone. Understand?"  
  
The whining ceased, sinking into depression. Ignoring the dark aura, the boy stood up, his sneakers now properly laced up with double-knots.  
  
"Cheer up,"  
  
He muttered, and duck down into an alley. Hoisting himself over the wall, he found an overgrown garden, spilling with weeds and white flowers. He nimbly climbed up a tree and lay across a branch comfortably, well hidden amongst the knobbly bark and thick blanket of leaves. Moonlight barely filtered between.  
  
He pressed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. Finding the feeling in him unsettling, he murmured,  
  
"We'll find them tomorrow, I'm sure of it."  
  
Finally satisfied, the depression turned to contentment. Smiling, the boy let himself drift into deep sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
[**A/N: T-T Gomen ne... this is getting boring, isn't it? ;;; Sorry... I'll try to pick the storyline up again into a faster pace. It's proving to be difficult - but no worries, it's getting there. I assure you, it's getting there. ^_^;; And I thank you for bearing with me uptil now, as usual. *huggles* ^^* I have seen Fushigi Yuugi by the way, Uots, so I'll read your 'Damsels in Distress' sometime. ~.^**]  
  



	21. A:N:: A Short Interlude

Eh, well, I was thinking of inserting NGs like I did in 'Steam', but I decided to settle for a writeup.  
  
How did you guys find reading 20 chapters? Man... and there's still loads more. This is probably going to be the longest *epic* I've ever written before. O_O;;  
  
Well, I thought I'd just write up a few things you might want to know.  
  
Heh, well, there's each character to think about. I'll just explain any differences for the main four... It wouldn't be fair for me to write about everyone *but* Luffy. Heh.  
  
Zoro. Well, I know this is a bit of a blow, but he's less stronger than he could be. That's due to his environment while growing up, I guess... Other physical changes are that his posture's more slack and his hair is a bit longer. Long enough for bangs to stick out under his bandanna.  
His attitude is a bit different as well. He's a lot more... well, nicer, I guess. And he's more sweeter to his crew-mates. Hehe.  
  
With Usopp, I tried not to change too much of him, but basically he's got glasses on and a slightly bigger 'kerchief than he usually uses, usually pulling his hair back in a ponytail.  
His personality? The exact same, but he's less of a bragger and a lot more charitable. This is probably because, like Zoro, he grew up in different circumstances as opposed to a village filled with sunlight and grass and boring people.  
  
Nami was difficult, but I got it down so that her hair is long - past her shoulders - but everything else is almost exactly the same. She puts her hair in clips most of the time.  
Her personality? The same. Haha - Nami is probably the one who I didn't change the most.  
  
When doing Sanji, I thought about it a lot, and had his eyebrows uncurly (gasp!).  
He's much more insightful now, but I tried not to change too much. He acts less lovey-dovey around girls, though - except around Nami.  
  
Everything has a good reason, by the way. And I do mean everything. XP  
  
  
  
Well, thanks for reading uptil now. The below bit is a really badly written scene I deleted from the dinner-dance and gladly replaced. It's so badly written, I swear. Laugh at it.  
  
  
  
***  
  
The girls whispered a bit more, gave death-glares at the girl on the floor, then spun on their heel and left.  
  
"Finally,"  
  
Zoro said lightly. She turned her head to look at him in surprise, and then turned back to flare in embarrassment at the look of concentration he had on his face. A minute later, he finished, and tied the upper part in a ribbon before patting her shoulder.  
  
"There you go. You can get up now."  
  
She slowly stood up, holding her handbag loosely over an elbow before she stumbled and fell into Zoro. He caught her easily, and helped her stand.  
  
"Are you okay yet?"  
  
He asked her as she shadowed her eyes, still shaking like mad.  
  
"I will be."  
  
She began, when footsteps echoed extremely loudly behind them.  
  
"Zoro?"  
  
It called out,  
  
"You there?"  
  
Zoro's face drained of colour as he recognised the jolly voice of the dean.  
  
"Oh hell,"  
  
He muttered, but it was too late to move now; the dean arrived onto the scene. His face broke out into a grin.  
  
"You sneaky boy,"  
  
He said, waggling his finger,  
  
"Already found yourself a girl and finding some private time, now, are you?"  
  
Zoro had his head in his hands while the girl turned an even deeper scarlet.  
  
"Not exactly,"  
  
Zoro began, when the dean grabbed both of them and started to drag them towards the auditorium.  
  
"Now I was wondering where on Earth you were! Hmm, someone spilt a soft drink here. Must get someone to clear that up. Now don't be shy, get out there and DANCE!"  
  
The two found themselves shoved into the auditorium where all the students were dancing in couples for the Dance-a-mania. Zoro wasn't sure whether he should be glad to have been rid of Mr. Harrison's over-cheerful voice, or mortified to be out here in the flashing multi-coloured lights of the disco ball that had been lowered for the Dance-a-mania. He had to dance?!  
  
"Uhmm..."  
  
The girl said, catching his attention. She looked up at him awkwardly before whispering,  
  
"There's a small gap between those two dining tables over there. The curtains behind it only hide the corridor to the backstage. Uh, if you don't mind, I think I better escape through that..."  
  
"Perfect,"  
  
Zoro replied at once,  
  
"Exactly what I need. Thanks,"  
  
He added, and taking her hand, he started to walk towards the gap. However, he was intercepted by passing couples, who all glared at him for being there. Before he knew it, he was bumped back to where he had been standing before.  
  
Not good, Zoro thought unhappily. Then he noticed the girl behind him tugging at his white-shirt.  
  
"Let's just go through."  
  
She said, and Zoro groaned.  
  
"But I-- I *can't* dance,"  
  
He admitted, and she whispered back,  
  
"Then learn! You might as well if you want to get out of here..."  
  
That was when the microphone chose to boom out,  
  
"SWING-DANCING!!"  
  
"What?!!"  
  
Zoro cried in panic as the music died and everyone separated from their couples.  
  
"It's not really swing dancing,"  
  
The girl said hastily,  
  
"At least, not to my memory. Listen. We're opposite the gap. The rule to this is to switch partners after holding hands with one and swinging around in a circle."  
  
"That's idiotic!!"  
  
Zoro exclaimed a bit too loudly, causing nearby students to glare at him.  
  
"I know, but it's supposed to be fun. Anyway, if we time it properly, we can meet at the other end of the auditorium just at that gap, and slip through quickly together."  
  
"Why not one by one?"  
  
"Because the number becomes uneven and someone ends up without a partner,"  
  
She whispered, when the music boomed out of the speakers and quite suddenly, both of them were grabbed by some random students and swung in a circle. Zoro strained his eyes to look for the black dress she had been wearing, and caught sight of it. He didnt' pay any attention to anyone he was dancing with, but made sure he didn't lose sight of the girl, who was being quite easily whirled off.  
  
He timed himself as well as he could with the girl, but found there were people he was crashing into, hands that held his too tightly, and sometimes he swung too hard so his partner crashed into the next person. He was soon wishing, as he found himself stepping on someone's toes for something like the fiftieth time, that the torture would end soon, and knew for a fact that he just absolutely loathed dancing now if it was like this.  
  
Suddenly, without warning, his lips smacked painfully onto something else. He rubbed his chin with a groan, and looking down, he realised he had slammed into the girl. She was rubbing her forehead. Their eyes met, then looked at the gap right in front of them. She looked around before shoving him through the gap to the curtains. He found a divide right at the gap, and slipped through, the girl shortly following.  
  
"Phew. Now what?"  
  
He asked. She pointed to a sign. He looked, and it read, 'BACKSTAGE', an arrow aside it.  
  
"No back-entrance?!"  
  
He groaned, and she explained,  
  
"The backstage connects to the left side, and that's where the back-entrance is."  
  
"Okay. Let's go, then."  
  
He said, and she nodded.  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
See? It's awful. Hope you had a good snicker, because I did when I re-read it.  
  
Well, go on then. Thanks again. ^_^ 


	22. Light at the End of the Tunnel

  
  
'So I guess there is some sort of conspiracy thing. Or maybe we're all psychic, and they can all read my imaginative dreams? That's highly improbable... Or perhaps we're really shifting alternative realities? But then, there's that 'memory' feeling... so maybe it's not--'  
  
Usopp's thoughts were unceremoniously interrupted by a sudden, sharp pain from his thumb. He was momentarily stunned, his thumb numb for the first few seconds before bursting into pain. Usopp's reaction, of course, was immediate.  
  
"OOOWWWWW!!!"  
  
He stuck his reddening thumb into his mouth, looking furtively around to see if they had seen him absent-mindedly driving a screwdriver into his thumb until he had finally felt the pain. Hopefully, no one had seen him be an idiot.  
  
"Errr... you seem a little distracted, Usopp,"  
  
Usopp felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment as the elderly woman, in charge of the Matilda Charity House, looked concernedly at him.  
  
He couldn't help being 'a little distracted', though - he was full to bursting with unanswerable questions, and he kept replaying the conversation between him and the two university students back at noon.  
  
"I'm okay Mrs. Ella,"  
  
He said, smiling as reassuringly as he could with a swollen thumb in his mouth,  
  
"I'll have this fixed in no time..."  
  
He hastily spun the screwdriver round and twirled the final screw in. He pressed against the square of metal, checking its stability, and satisfied, he flicked a switch underneath it.  
  
The lights Usopp had spent the entire summer installing outside every single door and on almost every outer wall shone brightly, lighting the halls with soft yellow light, causing several children sitting on the staircase outside to squeal with surprise and delight.  
  
"There,"  
  
Usopp said cheerfully,  
  
"Now no more kids crying about dark hallways when they make trips to the bathroom."  
  
Mrs. Ella's eyes reflected the soft light, her face glowing with happiness.  
  
"Usopp, you do so much for us,"  
  
She began, but Usopp waved a hand about, dismissing her words as he collected his tools.  
  
"I _like_ helping,"  
  
He said with a smile,  
  
"So don't worry about it."  
  
He slung his bag over his shoulder, and walking into the main corridor he waved.  
  
"Good night."  
  
He called out, and as he walked along the hall, he felt relieved that none of the lights were malfunctioning.  
  
As he neared the main entrance, three kids tumbled into him.  
  
"Usopp!!"  
  
"Lights! Lights!"  
  
"You're leaving?"  
  
Their exclamations came simulataneously from three different directions. Confused and over-blanced, Usopp ended up smacking onto the floor. The children clambered over him, laughing.  
  
"Silly Usopp."  
  
"No story today?"  
  
"Lights! Lights!"  
  
"No story today,"  
  
Usopp answered, trying to get his breath back,  
  
"Because you little jerks were complaining about the lack of lights, and you made Mrs. Ella worry. And me work."  
  
"We're not jerks!!"  
  
"Well,"  
  
Usopp said with a roll of his eyes as they started to pummel him with their small fists,  
  
"I _was_ thinking of giving something to you guys, but..."  
  
Quite suddenly they were still, perfectly obedient and listening with rapt attention. Usopp stood up, tossing over a round, plastic bag. The children curiously looked inside, and squealed with delight.  
  
"Oooh!!! Marbles!!"  
  
"Yeah. Have fun, jerks. Story next time,"  
  
Usopp said with a grin. Their response was pelting him with the marbles, and Usopp hastily retreated out of the Matilda Charity House. Stepping down the stone steps, he checked his watch, and saw it was past eight already.  
  
Sighing, Usopp stuck his hands into his pockets, slowly walking towards home. The lamp-posts appeared to be lit even more brightly than usual.  
  
'This feels like a really long day,'  
  
Usopp thought,  
  
'I had a really insightful talk with Zoro and Nami, which also lasted over an hour, and in the meanwhile worked out a weird idea about an 'alternative reality'... plus I finally completed the circuitry in both the Tepshire and Matilda Charity Houses. I feel a little drained after Zoro and Nami, though... I wonder why...'  
  
Scuffing the toe of his sneaker into the concrete, he wondered,  
  
'Or maybe it's just the end of a really long day. I mean... it's not like anything exciting is waiting for me tonight...'  
  
Hurried footsteps sounded suddenly behind the engineer, but the heels clicked to a stop. Something about the shift in feeling within Usopp made him stop walking. A familiar pain started to stir in his chest.  
  
Something about the pause in the person's actions made Usopp feel as though the person was greatly hesitant. Then, in a soft and breathless voice that Usopp easily recognised wtih a sharp pang:  
  
"Usopp-san?"  
  
He spun around, and his jaw dropped open, his glasses slipping down his long nose as he saw her.  
  
The soft white light of the lamp posts glowed against her, casting her blonde hair into a lighter honey hue than usual, her strands loosely framing her milky complexion. It looked as though the hood of her jacket had just fallen back.  
  
Her violet eyes were confused, yet she stood with determination, her hands clutching the ends of her blue jacket tightly.  
  
Usopp swallowed, and finally found his voice.  
  
"Kaya."  
  
He said. His voice held no question. Her purple eyes lit up briefly with a mix of emotion - surprise, relief and happiness shone through. Then it quickly dulled again.  
  
"I--"  
  
She paused, unsure of how to state herself.  
  
"I... I know you, don't I?"  
  
Hearing the uncertainty in her voice, Usopp replied with conviction.  
  
"Actually, I think we know each other."  
  
She blinked, and he watched her confusion mix with curiosity.  
  
"We..."  
  
She began, and stopped. Usopp saw her cheeks redden, and with no surprise to him, a hazy image filled his head - a sweet smile on her lips as she laughed, her cheeks rosy - and it gently faded back to blushing girl in front of him. He knew that it was different - the image in his head was of Kaya with a pleasant blush of laughter, and the Kaya before him had a flushed face of embarrassment - but he knew that somehow, the two were connected.  
  
Usopp smiled.  
  
"...we need to talk?"  
  
He suggested. She blinked again, and slowly, she nodded.  
  
There were no reporters or cameramen to shove Usopp back now. No physical barriers between them. Their surroundings were quiet, and there was hardly anyone passing by.  
  
Usopp observed this as they took a step towards each other, and decided, with slight amusement, that his 'long day' was going to get even longer.  
  
  
  
  
  
His white and blue striped headband dipped into black as Gin slinked into the welcome looming shadows of the gas station, and entered the garage. Everyone else was snoring loudly somewhere, but Krieg was wide-eyed and resting his feet against the table, tipping his chair back. The tall man tossed a bottle to Gin, who caught it deftly. Uncapping it, he started to chug down its contents.  
  
"Any luck?"  
  
Krieg asked. Gin smiled thinly.  
  
"Tomorrow at eleven."  
  
He answered. Krieg's lips pulled back into a gummy smile.  
  
"Excellent,"  
  
He said softly, uncapping his fourth bottle,  
  
"Time to formulate a plan, Gin."  
  
Gin leaned against the table, his face wan but his usually dull, black eyes glittering under the pale yellow light of the bulb hanging above him. A smile spread across his pale face.  
  
"Agreed, sir,"  
  
He answered softly.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Okay,"  
  
Sanji said, flicking on the light switch and flopping onto his mattress,  
  
"What is it you want to talk about? Is it about what we were talking about this morning?"  
  
Zoro nodded as he shut the door and peeled off his jacket. He settled backwards in a chair across Sanji, looking thoughtful.  
  
"I met with two people today,"  
  
Zoro began,  
  
"Nami and Usopp. I recognised Uso--"  
  
"NAMI-SAN?!! You met Nami-san?!"  
  
Sanji cried. The green-head stared at his room-mate.  
  
"Uhh... yeah. She was meeting Usopp at the front of the school, and I met her by coincidence..."  
  
He had to sweatdrop; Sanji was glowering at him as though he had just thrown him into a pond.  
  
"What's up with you and 'Nami-san'?"  
  
Zoro asked, his eyebrow arching. Sanji blinked.  
  
"Nami-'san'?"  
  
He echoed, looking slightly confused. He realised with a pang he had just addressed her as that just now.  
  
_I always call her that._  
  
The thought registered, and Sanji's mouth opened slightly. He turned to Zoro, who was looking at Sanji strangely.  
  
"You recognise her?"  
  
Zoro questioned. Sanji closed his mouth, and furrowed his brow. He groped his mind for the sense of familiarity. Was it there...? Sure enough, he found it nestled just where he called the orange-haired girl 'Nami-san'.  
  
"I don't know her much personally... but I think I sort of recoginise her..."  
  
He said slowly. Zoro's eyes widened.  
  
"Then-- then you _are_ part of 'it'!"  
  
Zoro exclaimed. Sanji looked at him blankly.  
  
"Part of what?"  
  
"Part of this--"  
  
Zoro shook his head quickly, clearing his head before starting again.  
  
"Just listen. I met Usopp and Nami--"  
  
"Who's Usopp?"  
  
Zoro waved a hand in dismissal.  
  
"Later. I met those two today, but when we met, I recognised Usopp, and he knew who I was, too. But we've never met each other before today."  
  
"Recognition."  
  
Sanji murmured, his eyebrows raising as he thought of all the flickers of familiarity that had flitted into him ever since Zoro had arrived.  
  
"That's right. So we ate lunch together, and--"  
  
"With Nami-san?"  
  
The model interrupted. Zoro nodded, ignoring his glare of jealousy.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. We--"  
  
"Don't speak of the experience as though it was nothing!"  
  
Sanji snapped, throwing a book at Zoro, who caught it easily.  
  
"Geez, all we did was eat lunch together!"  
  
Zoro said, clearly irritated.  
  
"Only with the most smartest and beautiful navigator in the world!"  
  
Sanji said, hearts popping around him. His room-mate looked at him in disgust before rolling his eyes.  
  
"I suppose every lady you see is smart and beautiful. Seeing how you lunge at every female you see."  
  
Sanji snapped out of his reverie of Nami to chuck another textbook at Zoro.  
  
"The hell!! Just because _you_ don't have hormones! And I do _not_ lunge at every female I see!"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Zoro retorted, a nerve twitching at the hormone remark,  
  
"Well, how about back at the Barate? At Kokoyashi village after the whole Arlong thing? When you first met Vivi? And back at Whiskey Peak, when you were--"  
  
"They were affectionate young ladies, but nothing like Nami-san! And it's Bara_tie_, you idiot!"  
  
A short silence followed before Zoro snapped,  
  
"We just argued crap, didn't we?"  
  
"It sounds really familiar."  
  
Sanji said with a sweatdrop.  
  
"Right. What did we just mention? Nami as a navigator, Whiskey Peak, Vivi, Barate--"  
  
"--Baratie!!--"  
  
"--whatever, and Kokoyashi village with the Arlong thing..."  
  
He remembered her trembling fingers curled around her spoon, and added,  
  
"Hang on, I just remembered. Nami is linked with that Arlong thing. And she's a navigator? Of what, I wonder..."  
  
"What did you guys talk about?"  
  
Sanji asked curiously.  
  
"A lot of things... things we had in common, and a theory Usopp thought up."  
  
"A theory?"  
  
"I'll explain, but let's brainstorm for a second. Hand me that pen over there. We need to jot this down before we forget..."  
  
"Okay, Vivi-chan is at this university. She's Nami-san's room-mate."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Write that down. And Whiskey Peak."  
  
"Barate thing, too..."  
  
"Bara_tie_ cabbage-head, get it right. And that coconut thing..."  
  
"What the hell, pretty-boy, it is _not_ 'coconut'... K--... Kokoyashi, that's it."  
  
"Would that be... Arlong Park?"  
  
A sharp pang through both of them. Then, Zoro:  
  
"I think we're onto something here."  
  
"Me too. Keep writing."  
  
  
  
  
  
**[A/N: Thanks for bearing with my poor wit and writing - just hope this chapter finally sparked a few things. Because I'm writing in a way that just lets the characters make the story up for themselves, it looks like they're finally getting the hint. Ooh! :P Well, thanks again. Leaving a review makes me happy. ^_^; But you don't have to.]**  
  
  



	23. Hot Chocolate

  
  
"I don't have a full name."  
  
"An orphan?"  
  
"That, and I hate the name my foster parents gave me. They ignored the name tag I had, and the name tag said 'Usopp'. So I'm sticking to that."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"How did you find me then?"  
  
Usopp asked in surprise.  
  
"Well... this."  
  
Kaya pulled out a folded newspaper cutting from her purse and smoothed it out with her slender fingers before setting it onto the tabletop. Usopp took it, and his eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Huh? 'The GLU Dinner Dance Gets an Extra Blast?'"  
  
His eyes quickly scan-read, and he swallowed. Neither Zoro or Nami had mentioned the incident of any hooligans busting their dinner-dance to him throughout the whole day.  
  
"I thought that maybe you attended this university, since it's so close to the studio of 'Amber Signs'... but I guess I was wrong,"  
  
She said, looking embarrassed.  
  
"Oh, don't worry... I don't attend university at all."  
  
"You... don't?"  
  
"Nope. But I have friends there... which reminds me..."  
  
He spent nearly half and hour trying to recall the conversation he, Nami and Zoro had had earlier that day. Kaya listened intently, her eyes widening as he mentioned recognising people and visions. When he stated his theory, Kaya finally spoke.  
  
"An alternative reality? That's so strange,"  
  
Kaya said, her tone curious. The long-nosed engineer across her slurped his milkshake as he nodded.  
  
"I know. But you never know... that could be the case--"  
  
Usopp let out a yelp as his elbow slid suddenly across the table-top, his chin knocking over his milkshake. The glass tipped, and the contents spilled all over Usopp as he clunked onto the table. His face got splashed and covered with a thick and creamy coating of chocolate milkshake.  
  
The sight of Usopp removing his glasses to reveal a face dripping with milkshake save for a band around his eyes made Kaya blink several times. Then her fingers flew to her mouth and she quickly removed her gaze.  
  
"You act like you're trying not to laugh,"  
  
Usopp commented in a huffy tone, secretly hoping his third attempt to make her laugh had finally worked. Kaya shook her head vigorously, still refusing to look at him.  
  
"No, no, it's not that,"  
  
She said in a muffled tone through her hands. Usopp didn't say anything, leaving a long silence, until some milkshake dripped off his long nose and splotched onto the tabletop loudly. Her eyes automatically flickered to Usopp's face, who was still in the process of wiping. He had somehow managed to bunch all the milkshake not off his face but to his left cheek.  
  
Kaya's cheeks turned pink as she shook, biting her lip and obviously containing her amusement. Usopp grinned, licking a bit of milkshake off his lower lip, and gave the final push with a single syllable:  
  
"Gross."  
  
She burst into peals of laughter. When she saw the surprise Usopp feigned, she tried to stop, but found it impossible to remove the image chocolate milkshake all over Usopp's face. The noisy splotch on the tabletop and his joking tone as he pronounced it 'gross' brought her to near hysteria.  
  
As Kaya giggled uncontrollably, Usopp found himself relaxing as he wiped off the rest of the chocolate milkshake with a napkin.  
  
When they had come into the coffee shop to talk, Usopp had found himself curious as to why Kaya wasn't smiling in front of him. He was reminded of his dreams - she had been unwell, and he had come over to cheer her up. Usopp could not really remember how he had made her learn to laugh again. But seeing the girl only give false smiles made his insides twist, so he had found himself wanting to make her smile.  
  
Usopp had always known himself as a sort of a goofy idiot, so he simply let his clumsiness take full control of him. When he'd started to explain his dreams and the other people linked to the 'conspiracy', they had been walking towards the coffee shop. Usopp took full liberty to trip over himself and fall in an extremely embarrassing way into a drain. Kaya's first reaction had been surprise, then confusion. As though she had forgotten what she should do. Forgotten how to laugh.  
  
When he drew a real smile out of her when he slammed into a lamp-post, Usopp was filled with the determination to make her smile more and more.  
  
The engineer let out a small sigh of relief as Kaya, for the first time since he had met her, genuinely laughed, her cheeks coloured with a pleasant blush only laughter could bring. Nothing like that plastic smile she had used while acting.  
  
"I''m sorry,"  
  
She finally said, her voice still caught with the height of laughter. Usopp grinned.  
  
"I'm just glad you remember how to laugh."  
  
He said. Kaya looked slightly startled.  
  
Deep inside her, great contentment spread from her heart to the rest of her. The feeling reminded her of something like hot chocolate on a cold day.  
  
She felt... happy. She felt really good - especially because... she hadn't felt like this in ages.  
  
_Nothing felt missing in her._  
  
Kaya looked at Usopp, who was grinning sheepishly as he started cleaning the rest of the table of the sticky mess.  
  
Without even meaning to, her lips curled into a soft smile. Kaya gently leaned onto the table, a warmth stirring in her as she answered,  
  
"Me too."  
  
  
  
  
  
The following Sunday morning, a dormitory room in the GrandLine University was practically bursting in aggravation.  
  
"I cannot _believe_ you didn't bother telling me until today!!"  
  
Sanji yelled, frantically trying to roll up his cuffs, eat a jam doughnut and wear shoes at the same time. Zoro poked his head out of the bathroom, a toothbrush dangling out of his mouth as his eyebrow quirked in irritation.  
  
"Ish nuh my fhalt,"  
  
He said through a mouthful of toothpaste as he combed his fingers through his hair,  
  
"We wuh sho tiyer hafte--"  
  
"Whatever. I don't understand a word you're saying. Have you seen my tie? The dark blue one?"  
  
The green-head shook his head before ducking back into the bathroom. Water would be heard running full-blast two seconds later while Sanji dashed about, searching for his tie.  
  
Zoro emerged with a T-shirt and a pair of faded jeans while Sanji hurriedly ran a comb through his hair, his eyes still furtively darting about.  
  
"Zoro, you don't have an extra tie, do you? I can't seem to find _any_ of mine,"  
  
The model said in frustration. Zoro opened his backpack from four nights ago, still incomplete in his unpacking, pulled out a pink and yellow tie and offered it to Sanji. There was a long silence as the blonde stared in a mixture of horror and fascination at the piece of silk adorned in baby-pink and bright yellow checker patterns.  
  
"That,"  
  
Sanji finally managed to say,  
  
"Is one hell of a tie."  
  
"My mom gave it to me."  
  
Zoro explained.  
  
"I wouldn't wear that for a million dollars. Well, not in public anyway. No other tie?"  
  
"No."  
  
"How about the one I lent you?"  
  
"I don't know where it is."  
  
"Damn it, you bastard, that was one of my best ties!!"  
  
Sanji shouted, grabbing the front of Zoro's shirt, but abruptly let go as he groaned,  
  
"Does this mean I have to go without one?"  
  
"It won't kill you,"  
  
His roommate commented dryly, pulling on a navy-green flannel jacket,  
  
"Just pull on a coat and let's get out of here. We've got fifteen minutes to get to the mall."  
  
"And who's fault would that be?!"  
  
Sanji snapped at the green-head who had woken him up five minutes ago, stating they had to meet Nami and Usopp in twenty minutes in a completely nonchalant voice.  
  
"Yours for fussing over a tie. Damn it you stupid cook, a _tie_. Is it because you're a model, 'Sandy White'? Maybe it's all gone into your head."  
  
Zoro just barely caught the blur of black in his peripheral. He found himself dodging a swift kick to his stomach, his eyebrows rising in surprise.  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
He asked, seeing how much he had agitated the cook. The blonde narowed his eyes before trudging past Zoro to switch off the bathroom light.  
  
"That was going over the line. Don't call me that bloody name. Reminding me of my occupation pisses me off too."  
  
"...I didn't know you had such serious issues with your own job."  
  
Zoro commented.  
  
"Put it this way. I'd rather you called me a @#$%ing cook than a @#$%ing good model,"  
  
Sanji muttered, and with that brushed roughly past Zoro, opened the door and walked briskly towards the stairs, leaving Zoro to hastily lock the door and run after with annoyance written all over his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nami choked on her orange juice when Sandy White, looking slightly embarrassed and smiling nervously, had suddenly popped up from behind Zoro and greeted her and Usopp quite cheerfully. Before Nami could even think of a reason to excuse herself, the engineer chose that moment to say in an awed voice that the blonde's face was familiar. Things had been on the roll from there, and now she was cursing herself for feeling so nervous.  
  
'There's nothing to be nervous about..., you rejected him, but he doesn't seem to mind... you did dance with him, after, right?... So stop feeling damn guilty!!'  
  
"Uhh... Nami?"  
  
Usopp muttered, elbowing her side. Startled, she snapped,  
  
"What is it?!"  
  
He pointed to a certain model staring dreamily at Nami while offering a plate of baked potatoes.  
  
"Care for some, Nami-san?"  
  
Sandy said with the air of one addressing the queen. Smiling, Nami took a potato up with her fork as she said with a voice dripping with sugar,  
  
"Why, thank you, Sanji-kun."  
  
Setting it onto her plate as hearts popped around the blonde, Nami took up a forkful of the baked potato.  
  
Then she dropped her fork with a loud clatter as realisation hit her. The stares from Zoro and Usopp hit her hard, too.   
  
"Uh-- I-- uhm-- I d-donno whaj-just happened,"  
  
She stammered as the two continued to look at her and Sanji in surprise and felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. She was never flustered! But what had just happened? She'd called him 'Sanji-kun' - again. And she'd taken his attitude as perfectly normal.  
  
"I-I'm sorry,"  
  
Sanji mumbled, hiding his face behind the steam of his soup,  
  
"It's j-just that...uh... I mean... you look... very familiar today..."  
  
There was a small pause as the boys looked at Nami intently for a few seconds. She regained her composure quickly with a swallow of potato.  
  
"You're right,"  
  
Zoro suddenly said, his voice obviously surprised,  
  
"She looks more familiar."  
  
She blinked.  
  
"I do?"  
  
"Well, I'm too used to Nami to really notice,"  
  
Usopp said as he shovelled spaghetti into his mouth,  
  
"But she does seem a bit more... _recognisable_ today."  
  
"It's her hair,"  
  
Zoro said firmly,  
  
"It's how it's all tied back."  
  
Nami's fingers automatically reached to the back of her head, where she had curled her tangerine locks into a tight bun.  
  
"I don't usually tie it back like this,"  
  
She said confusedly,  
  
"But it looks familiar to you?"  
  
"Yeah... it's her hair,"  
  
Usopp agreed. There was a short silence before Sanji said, hesitantly,  
  
"You know, I was just thinking about it, but it seems we all have some sort of characteristic that's a little... 'off'. Nami-san's hair looks like it should be a bit... different, Usopp looks kind of weird with his glasses, and Zoro looks like he's too relaxed."  
  
"But he's sleeping half the time,"  
  
Nami said,  
  
"He's _always_ relaxed."  
  
Zoro refrained from asking Nami how she had known about his sleeping tendencies. Usopp nodded as he drank his soda.  
  
"Actually, I think Sanji's right. Zoro's posture seems a little more slack from what I remember."  
  
"So you mean I was all buff and muscly in my alternative reality?"  
  
Zoro mused, imagining himself lifting weights. Somehow, the image appeared to be quite familiar. Scary.  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
Sanji said vaguely,  
  
"But you know... Zoro and Nami have both mentioned something weird about my... eyebrow?"  
  
He immediately felt stupid for saying it, but he couldn't help it. He could remember quite clearly what each person had said about his eyebrow.  
  
_Sanji-kun, what happened to your eyebrow?_  
  
_But for some really crazy reason, I seem to recall you having a curl at the end of your eyebrows. Did you shave it off or something?_  
  
Usopp was surprised to see Zoro and Nami looking at him expectantly. They were waiting for him to see they had seen. The engineer studied Sanji's face for a moment. It didn't take long for him to find what appeared to be missing.  
  
"Uhm... I think I know what they're talking about,"  
  
He said, addressing Sanji but looking at Zoro and Nami with a sweatdrop,  
  
"But I'm going to sound so crazy."  
  
"Hey, this meeting itself is pretty crazy,"  
  
Zoro said with a roll of his eyes,  
  
"Just say what you think."  
  
"The end of his eyebrows... look like they lack a spiral. A curl. Whatever... something like that."  
  
Usopp sighed, feeling ridiculous, but was startled as Nami gasped. Sanji looked pale as Zoro said, with a grin,  
  
"I guess this means pretty-boy is missing curls in his eyebrows."  
  
"That's spooky,"  
  
Sanji said, clearly stunned,  
  
"Are you sure you three didn't conspire against me or something?"  
  
Usopp shook his head vigorously.  
  
"No way. I swear, this whole thing is creeping all of us out."  
  
The model chewed his sandwich, looking thoughtful.  
  
"So it's just us four?"  
  
He asked. At this, the other three shook their heads.  
  
"There're more. Kaya, for example."  
  
Usopp said. Nami nodded as Zoro poked Sanji's side with the end of his spoon,  
  
"Oi, don't you remember Vivi? Last night's brainstorm?"  
  
"Oh yeah!"  
  
Sanji's eyes widened as he remembered, and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his breast-pocket. After returning Zoro's favour with his fork, the blonde pushed aside plates and glasses crowding the table into a neat pile and spread the slightly crumpled sheet of paper covered in a messy scrawl of black and blue ink.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
Nami asked curiously as she and Usopp leaned closer to inspect it. Zoro answered,  
  
"Just a couple of things we think you guys might find familiar."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N:: You've beared with me for ages. *weeps* Thank you. You know, I'm sorry if these are tediously long and boring, but I will *promise* you that Luffy appears before chapter 30. Whoopee. Promising, eh? *feels idiotic* Well, I guess I'll sign off now... gomen ne for the delay, by the way... I was having severe writer's block. None of the characters seemed to want to say anything. ;; Thanks again for your lovely reviews. ^^* **  
  
  



	24. Disruptions

  
  
He chomped into a chicken drumstick boredly, one hand holding the hot piece of spicy meat with a napkin and his other arm holding up a brown paper bag filled with chicken wings and legs.  
  
Plopping down onto one of the many benches lining the outskirts of the local park, the small boy let out a loud whine as he chewed vigorously, a look of severe frustration settling on his face.  
  
He hadn't been able to find GrandLine University, even though he had gone searching for it for over days now, while checking out loads of other universities and colleges on the way. No one seemed to know where GrandLine actually was. It was annoying him to pieces.  
  
"I wouldn't have taken this job if I'd known how long it was going to take,"  
  
The boy grumbled through a mouthful of chicken, his eyes flittering across the stores across the road. He was going to be thirsty soon, and he wanted a jumbo soda if he could get one.  
  
His eyes widened suddenly, and the drumstick dropped from his hand back into the paper bag. He hurriedly shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose to ensure he had seen clearly, using a clean thumb to avoid greasing the lenses, and let out a groan.  
  
"Of course! How could I be such a dunce?!!"  
  
He complained out loud, and grabbing the paper bag full of chicken he jumped up and ran towards the small tourist stall on the pavement across the street.  
  
Once he reached the stall, the boy asked the man eagerly for a map.  
  
  
  
  
  
Brushing a few strands of her hair behind her neck, Kaya looked more closely at the papers in her head.  
  
"A witness?"  
  
Spearing a neatly sliced square of steak with his fork, Kurohadol held it elegantly above his plate, smiling demurely at the blonde actress.  
  
"Yes. I just need your signature on that little dotted line there to confirm that I, manager of Feline Incorporates, have sworn to take full responsibility over Theodore Flint's land should he pass away under... unfortunate circumstances."  
  
Kaya looked at it for a moment, feeling somewhat uneasy. She didn't know why, but Kurohadol had that effect on her. She always felt strangely inclined to feel suspicious of every move he made.  
  
She knew for a fact that Feline Incorporates hadn't been going too well ever since one of their major providers had suddenly cut all contact between them. She had seen the stress piling on Kurohadol - he hadn't met her in ages, and she had been surprised to receive a call from him that morning. Merii had been delighted, oddly enough.  
  
_"It won't be long until he asks for your hand in marriage,"_  
  
Merii had said, weirdly elatedly as he helped Kaya into her jacket. She was hoping that would never, ever happen. Not only would it cause an uproar in the media - especially since he was a lot older than her -, but she also had no real intention to say yes. She didn't really have 'that sort' of feelings for Kurohadol.  
  
They had met when she was quite young - Kurohadol had known Kaya's parents, and had met quite frequently with Kaya after they had died.  
  
_"I feel I owe it to them to ensure you are living well,"_  
  
Kurohadol had said. Kaya did not really think Kurohadol had any plans to give her a ring any time soon, by any rate; he treated her like a little girl. He had reached into his coat, making Kaya hold her breath and wonder... and then he'd pulled out several papers and a contract, much to her immense relief.  
  
"It's awfully lucky that you've been given the responsibility for Theodore Flint's land,"  
  
Kaya said carefully, refraining from adding, 'not to mention incredibly coincidental',  
  
"Is there no hope for him?"  
  
"Kaya,"  
  
Kurohadol swallowed his piece of steak before looking at Kaya almost sternly, his voice taking on a tone an adult would take when correcting a child,  
  
"Mr. Flint has been in a coma for six months, now. It pains me to say this, but it appears only a miracle would waken the old man. I sincerely wish for his well-being, but..."  
  
There was a silence as Kurohadol let Kaya fill the blank for herself, and continued to serenely slice up his steak. The actress sipped her orange juice, thinking about the turnabout of events.  
  
Kaya knew Mr. Flint because he was an infamous land tycoon around the area. He had written in his will that one particularly large piece of land should be handed to his son, but it was known that Augustus Flint had fled to some other place after being accused of drug trafficking. Augustus Flint had not been heard from for over a decade, and Theodore Flint was still in coma after a severe car-crash.  
  
Theodore Flint's wife, Cheryl Maine, had given Kurohadol responsibility for the piece of land, as she knew her husband heavily trusted Kurohadol. Kaya couldn't help but think this was all too convenient for Kurohadol, whose company was in serious danger of collapsing altogether. Selling Flint's land would definitely save Feline Incorporates for over a year.  
  
Kaya's eyes drifted over the parchment the contract had been printed upon. Below the text declaring that, should Theodore Conrad Flint pass away under any unfortunate circumstance before being able to change section 3 of his will, Kurohadol Krow should receive all responsibility concerning all 10,523 acres of Storm land. Below the chunk of text, there were four dotted lines below.  
  
Ian Milton, the person who had written and approved of the contract, had a small, squarish signature. Next to it was Kurohadol Krow's very italic and very neat signature. Below Milton's signature was Cheryl Maine's loopy sign as 'first witness'. The one aside Cheryl Maine's signature was a blank dotted line for 'second witness'.  
  
She knew that witnesses were usually people unrelated to the contract in general. They were truly just people to confirm that the contract had been created. She had thought she was too young to be a witness, but apparently, anyone could be. Cheryl Maine was probably a witness out of convenience. Kurohadol had played the cassette tape onto which he had recorded the creation of the contract - twice. She just needed to sign it.  
  
She didn't want to, for some reason. Something about the whole thing seemed to fall too perfectly into place. A lot of things fell perfectly into place for Kurohadol, actually. She didn't like it. But Kaya had always felt sort of in debt to this poised man before her - he had really tried to make an effort in helping Kaya to become a successful actress. He had been the one to introduce her to 'Amber Signs', one of her most successful serials, after all... signing this contract was one of the least things she could do on her path to repay him.  
  
Picking up the fountain pen he had offered her, she unscrewed the cap, and pressed the nib onto the parchment. The black ink glistened as she wrote out her signature quickly, capped the pen and almost threw the pen back at him. She felt very uncomfortable all of the sudden.  
  
"Thank you, dear,"  
  
He said with a smile, lifting the glasses up the bridge of his nose with an upturned palm, and Kaya looked away uneasily. That particular gesture always made Kaya feel weirded out.  
  
She missed the satisfied glint he held in his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tucking a pencil behind his ear, Usopp tapped the left side of his notebook with an index finger.  
  
"So this would be a rough timeline, right?"  
  
He asked the group. Nami wagged a finger, correcting,  
  
"Nope. It would actually be a chronological order of events. Not a timeline."  
  
"Whatever,"  
  
Zoro said with a roll of his eyes,  
  
"Same thing."  
  
"No it's not."  
  
Nami said, frowning.  
  
"Sure it is."  
  
"A timeline has intervals of time, while this has no relation to the passage of time at all. We don't know the time!"  
  
"I do. It's 12:20, according to my watch."  
  
Zoro said, grinning as Nami's temple bulged with a nerve of pure annoyance. He was promptly decked by Sanji.  
  
"Just listen to the lady! She knows more than you would ever know,"  
  
The model snapped, then smiled in a dopey manner at Nami.  
  
"Isn't that right, my sweet?"  
  
Zoro snorted, then quickly covered it with a cough and a slurp of his third soda. Something twisted deep in Nami painfully, and she involuntarily scowled. The scowl wiped the smile off Sanji's face, and realising what she had done, Nami quickly covered her expression with one that was impassive and asked Usopp,  
  
"So how does it go now?"  
  
Had it not been Nami and any other girl, Sanji would have felt just irritated at himself, wondering what hadn't been appealing enough about himself, but with Nami... he didn't feel irked at himself or her, but actually... he felt hurt. He never let himself grow close a girl for fear of paparazzi and emotional conflict, yet here he was, stinging from Nami's frostiness. She didn't act that way to Usopp or Zoro, which seriously undermined himself.  
  
Sanji shook it off, knowing he had kept an eye on Nami for quite a while, but seeing Nami with that hairstyle today made him feel a lot more inclined to be closer to her. He wasn't entirely sure what their relationship had been like, but that scowl hadn't looked very familiar to him. He bored his eyes into Nami for a few moments, but she refused to turn her head.  
  
"Well,"  
  
Usopp began, unaware of the exchange between Sanji and Nami, and flicking the pencil out from behind his ear he circled the notations on the left side of the paper.  
  
"The earliest memory we can recall is when Zoro and Nami comes to my village to save it from a bunch of pirates. We were given a ship, right?"  
  
"Yep. I remember that lamb thing on the head of the ship."  
  
Nami said with a smile, the familiarity warming her as small flitters of a faintly outlined wooden carving of a smiling lamb passing her mind. Usopp nodded, satisfied, and pressing the pencil down, he dragged the lead across from the first circle to the next chunk of notes and drew a second circle around it.  
  
"Then we arrive at Sanji's restaurant, the Baratie. Nami ditches us,"  
  
The girl in mention winced, but the engineer continued on as though she hadn't,  
  
"So Zoro, Sanji and I reach Kokoyashi village. Nami is at Arlong Park. After a bunch of exchange, which we don't really know of--"  
  
"Hang on a minute,"  
  
Sanji interrupted. Usopp looked up in surprise, and the blonde slightly uncomfortably to his room-mate. Zoro blinked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Remember what we talked about yesterday? About just *how* we got Nami-san back?"  
  
Zoro frowned before raising his eyebrows as he remembered.  
  
"Oh, right. Yeah. We think we were fighters from our ship or something."  
  
"Fighters?"  
  
Nami repeated, her brows creased just slightly as she tried to think about why this was affecting her.  
  
"Yeah. I mean... we discussed how... uh, he can suddenly whack real well with sticks,"  
  
The model jabbed a thumb to Zoro, who scowled at his choice of phrase,  
  
"And I can suddenly kick like hell."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Usopp asked, still slightly confused but probing because the idea struck a chord in him.  
  
"Uhm, some time on Friday, GLU had a dinner dance. A bunch of idiots drove in on motorbikes--"  
  
"Oh yeah! I heard of that from the newspapers! Why didn't you tell me, Nami?"  
  
Usopp complained. Zoro and Nami remembered their brunch together the previous morning, and automatically exchanged glances. Then they shrugged simultaneously.  
  
"It didn't seem very important."  
  
Zoro said nonchalantly. Nami, on the other hand, didn't say anything; she hadn't said a word about it because she didn't want to lie about herself not getting hurt. However, because Usopp might get all horrified and faint at the bruises plainly visible on her forehead and her arm, she'd artfully hidden the ugly splotches with shirt sleeves and her fringe. She sub-conciously ran her fingertips through the orange strands at her forehead, bringing herself to Sanji's attention unintentionally.  
  
"Is your head all right?"  
  
The blonde asked, remembering the faintly green tinge on the lump at her temple, and trying very hard not to succumb to the flare of anger in him at the memory of the stupid red-nosed freak. Nami visibly cringed as Usopp and Zoro both stared at her.  
  
"What does he mean?"  
  
Usopp asked, and Nami shook her head quickly. However, the motion made her wince in pain, and she mentally slapped herself for being so stupid.  
  
"You got banged up by those gangsters?"  
  
Zoro asked, only the tiniest hint of concern lacing his words. She groaned.  
  
"Yes, I did, okay? I was being incredibly stupid. They came wielding metal bars and I went wielding glitter. It's my own fault any--"  
  
"No it's not!!"  
  
Sanji's voice cut in with an indignant cry,  
  
"_No one_ treats _any_ lady like that, no matter what their excuse!"  
  
Nami rolled her eyes, and opened her mouth to retort, when to her surprise Usopp leant over and lifted the locks of tangerine hair hiding the swollen bruise. It was now a mauvish blue, and Usopp flinched at the sight of it. She was so surprised at the sudden action it took her several moments before she realised he was revealing her bruise and thwacked his arm away.  
  
"Nami, he's right. That's terrible. You should've reported it."  
  
Usopp said with a deep frown. She scowled.  
  
"Sure. 'I got a big bruise. Those big bad boys are such meanies. Wah, wah.' Fat lot of good that would do."  
  
"That's true in some ways, but it does look pretty nasty."  
  
Zoro said, scratching the back of his head as an expression of hesitance settled on his face,  
  
"Those bastards really messed up our uni auditorium, but I never knew they hurt the students."  
  
Nami realised she was turning pink at the genuinely concerned attention she was receiving from people who usually didn't express their concerns... and also, the fact that she just wasn't plain used to that sort of attention. She hastily drank her juice in effort to lower the temperature at her cheeks.  
  
"And you should see what they did to her arm!"  
  
Sanji cried dramatically, causing Nami to splutter and choke during mid-swallow as Zoro and Usopp stared at her incredulously.  
  
"They hurt your arm, too?"  
  
Usopp said, turning pale with worry, while the green-head frowned slightly as he remarked,  
  
"Damn. What did you do to them?"  
  
"I didn't do anything. And darn it, I'm fine!! I'm not on a death-bed or something! Go on, Zoro, about your little fighter theory bit,"  
  
She snapped more angrily than normal, her cheeks flushed pink. Usopp immediately knew this was not a topic to pursue, and threw Zoro a Look that told him that. Sanji opened his mouth, his brows creased in concern as he seemed prepared to say something otherwise, but a swift kick from Usopp zipped his lips together. Usopp ignored the glare the model shot him.  
  
"It's just that we probably fought to get Nami back. That Arlong guy, in particular."  
  
An excruciating pain seared at Zoro's chest for just a split second, and he bent down with a small sound of discontent. Then the pain disappeared as abruptly as it had come. His movement broke the anger building in Nami, and she along with the rest gave him a look of surprise.  
  
"Ouch. Something hurt there for a second,"  
  
Zoro muttered, running a hand through his hair, then quickly shook his head and continued,  
  
"So our crew composed of fighters, too."  
  
"Of course! The lady needed bodyguards,"  
  
Said Sanji dreamily as he gazed at Nami. She shifted uncomfortably, her chest suddenly feeling quite tight.  
  
"Oh, there was that festival thing after we fought,"  
  
Usopp said excitedly as a flurry of bright lights, star-lit skies, dishes of food and colourfully-clothed people dancing flashed before his eyes, sounds of music and cheerful chatter and laughter sifting through his ears,  
  
"I remember! And I was singing-- all for Captain Usopp! Captain Usopp!"  
  
The other three stared as the engineer's eyes glazed over as he momentarily got caught up in his own delight at his own name.  
  
"Right,"  
  
Zoro said, rolling his eyes,  
  
"But there wasn't nearly enough beer."  
  
"There were plenty of ladies,"  
  
Sanji said, eyes shining, then he leaned over and grasped Nami's hands both resting at the table-top into both of his own, startling her. He gazed into her eyes with the air of a love-sick puppy as he said in a reassuring voice,  
  
"But none of them could've ever amounted to you, Nami-san!"  
  
The moment the model's warm hands closed around her own, Nami's chest contracted to a point it hurt her ribs, her heart clenching and something deep inside her twisting with a sharp jerk. A searing hot pain erupted in her chest and in her head, throbbing in time to her tight and quite suddenly audible heartbeats. Her heartbeats were the only thing she could hear.  
  
She tried to look at him properly, wanting to tear her hands away, but she felt disjointed and un-coordinated. She could see his bright eyes and his cheerful smile, seemingly unfazed by all the negative signs she had been sending him all day. The image grew hazy and blurred; she could see another layer overlaying him, the same love-sick gaze with the same sappy smile, only his eyebrows were curled...  
  
The pains intensified and her head pounded; her eyes narrowed as she tried to see clearly, but she could almost hear the rushing blood in her veins throbbing painfully as her chest felt as though something was tearing apart within--  
  
She threw his hands back at him almost savagely, earning a startled, wide-eyed look from all three people on the table. Standing up abruptly and breathing dischordantly, Nami grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder roughly.  
  
"I've-- suddenly re--membered s-some--thing. R-right. L-later."  
  
Then she spun on her heel and stalked away, but a few steps away from the table, Nami broke into a run. She desperately wanted the pain clouding her chest and her mind to subside, and hoping that distancing herself from _him_ would allow her the peace.  
  
The three at the table looked quite stunned at the sudden outburst, though Zoro and Usopp looked more bewildered than Sanji's completely gob-smacked expression. Then, with only a flash of determination crossing his face as a warning, Sanji jumped up and ran around the table and after her.  
  
Usopp and Zoro blinked, wondering what on earth had just happened. Then they shrugged, and the engineer spoke out loud as he wrote,  
  
"Right, then. 'Zoro... plus... Sanji... fighters.' And next..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_ **A/N:** You people are the best!! *huggles tightly* Thanks for bearing with me until now! ;_; I've been a real slacker, lately... I mean, I was having severe writer's depression as a whole, but now I've been picked up again by God. So yes. I hope you all don't hate me for being so incredibly inconsiderate lately with my schedule... But thanks for sticking with me until now. ^.^ Thank you! Thank you again!  
Go and have a jolly good 2003, folks! ^.^*  
_   
  



	25. To Kick An Innocent Puppy

  
  
"But this... this grudge you hold,"  
  
The tallest man said reproachfully, his slit-like eyes narrowing,  
  
"It seems so painfully juvenile."  
  
"I agree, I agree!"  
  
Agreed a man by his left, waving his arms animatedly about as his head bobbed up and down.  
  
"Never stated better,"  
  
Stated a man by his right, running a hand over his smooth black hair.  
  
"But you say we'll get paid much for this, _chuu_?"  
  
Said another man next to the black-haired man, who looked slightly skeptically at the two others before them.  
  
"Yes,"  
  
Said Krieg, his eyes glittering maliciously at the four men who towered before him, and nodded to Gin who stood beside him. Gin picked up a canvas bag and practically ripped it open, his eyes darker than usual as the contents of the bag became very visible.  
  
The man to the tallest's left widened his eyes and he let out a whoop and a holler of,  
  
"Wow!! That's much more than usual!"  
  
He received a violent punch to the head from the black-haired man, glaring at him.  
  
"Shut up, Hachi. Just keep your mouth shut."  
  
"But you-- you spoke too!"  
  
Hachi said tearfully, when the man next to the black-haired man snorted.  
  
"Yes, but unlike you, _chuu_, we know when to shut up."  
  
"You spoke too, Chuu!!"  
  
Hachi cried, horrified that no one seemed to see the injustice in their accusations, but the tallest snapped,  
  
"Shut up, all of you."  
  
Then he faced Krieg and narrowed his slit-eyes further.  
  
"This is only half the money you promised. I am no fool. Do not try to deceive me."  
  
"The other half comes once you have completed your task,"  
  
Krieg said, his smile turning into a wide one.  
  
"Where exactly are you getting this money, _chuu_?"  
  
Chuu asked suddenly, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.  
  
"That is none of your business,"  
  
Gin began to respond, but was interrupted by Krieg saying quite leisurely,  
  
"Big thanks to Krow. I trust you know Captain Krow?"  
  
"That would be that stupid Black Cat gang's captain, would it? Yes, we do know of him. But what of the man who never shows his face?"  
  
"Krow is actually Kurohadol Krow. You know, manager of Feline Corporates. Very sneaky man, and also very rich."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
The tallest man said, his eyes glinting in interest. The other three men also had smiles spreading on their faces, causing Gin to narrow his own eyes in suspicion.  
  
"This Krow man. He's very rich?"  
  
The black-haired man said, and Krieg nodded almost too eagerly.  
  
"Then... you wouldn't complain if we asked for more, would you? Wouldn't hurt him, would it?"  
  
Said Chuu, still smiling. Anger flooding Gin, he opened his mouth to tell them to keep to their part of the deal, when he was forced to stop abruptly when he received a very silent but very painful and swift kick from Krieg.  
  
"Of course, Arlong,"  
  
Said Krieg with the same too-eager tone,  
  
"How much more?"  
  
Gin hadn't flinched a bit, but his eyes narrowed beneath his band, and he did not speak throughout the rest of the negotiations again.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wait!!"  
  
Nami's breath caught in her throat as Sanji's voice resounded behind her, the voice carrying familiarity that reached further than her mind and reached achingly deep.  
  
She knew it was pretty futile to run by the time she'd reached the pavement, but she tried. As she predicted, it was to no avail; Sanji's long strides caught up easily to her and he grabbed her shoulder tightly with surprising force.  
  
"Hold on a second, Nami-san,"  
  
He said, his breath quick but not panting, and defeatedly Nami turned to face the source of the aching throb she had in her chest. As soon as her eyes met the sight of Sanji, the ache seemed to almost solidify; she swallowed with difficulty before forcing her eyes up to meet his confused ones, shadowing her own confusion with a cold glaze.  
  
"I... you always... I-- I mean..."  
  
It seemed that the model had followed her on a whim or something similar. Now that he had actually caught up to her to talk, however, he seemed to be finding it hard to say what was on his mind. His brows slightly furrowed as he gesticulated with a frantic air to his motions, Nami waited with a cool patience.  
  
She knew her sudden leave was uncalled for, and had probably not covered the fact that it had been because of Sanji very well. Nami therefore made herself stand still and wait. She hoped he would give up and leave. Most guys who had held interest in her did that once they found out she had not too much interest in serious relationships.  
  
"Why?"  
  
He said finally, fixating his eyes to hers. She could see how earnest and how honestly confused he was; she could see his almost desperate yearning to know. That desperacy tugged at a string in her, and the pit of her stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch as she realised she knew-- no, _recognised_ this desperacy to know her. She had met many with it, but none so much as this young university student before her, and never so painfully familiar.  
  
She took in a breath, concealing how painful her windpipe had suddenly become from being contracted, and spoke a lie.  
  
"Can't you take a hint if someone doesn't like you?"  
  
Nami said coldly. She looked away from his eyes, not wanting to see his reaction. She didn't know why, but she was sure she'd do something out of balance if she looked at him. It didn't make much a difference, though. She could actually sense his surprise and his hurt, especially with his short intake of breath, and his uncertain stance in standing.  
  
She tossed her hair back, an action most people she knew, including Vivi, took as an incredibly snobbish move.  
  
"I don't know how many girls have rejected you, but you can't be _this_ desperate. Or dense."  
  
Snapping her head away, she turned to walk away, not needing to look to know his jaw had dropped. However, rather than the clearer feel of mind she had been expecting, she felt a lead-like heaviness drop in her stomach, a disturbing haze filling her head.  
  
_Wh-what? What's going on?_  
  
She thought, her vision going slightly dizzy. Her vision before her seemed misted, and she tried to shake her head to clear it. It only made it worse, and she could feel a cold and painful pin-like prickling at where her heart was.  
  
_Is it-- Is it Sanji-kun? No! Not-- Sanji-- Sandy White, I need to get away from Sanji-ku--no, Sandy--_  
  
Utterly confused and clouded with a sheen of cold and pain, Nami was startled out of the strange fog with the sound of Sanji's voice. It was clear, and it penetrated her predicament like a knife. The voice was filled with hurt; even moreso because he didn't know the reason for it.  
  
"That's not fair, Nami-san."  
  
He said. The ache was still there, but the foggy vision was all gone. Slightly relieved but mostly angered, Nami said through her teeth,  
  
"Get over it."  
  
"No,"  
  
He said insistently, and she felt horrified to feel him come closer to her. It had to be him causing the pain, and she didn't care if he didn't know he was doing it. She didn't know why or what was going on either. But she sure as hell knew she didn't want him to come any nearer.  
  
"There's a link between us, between us all. We were just talking about it. Why are you-- treating me like this?"  
  
His hand brushed against her palm. It had an electric effect; the pain intensified ten-fold and she let out a choked gasp as she clutched at her chest. She spun around on her heel, anger filling her senses hotly, mixing badly with the cold and sharp prickles at her chest. The feelings churned and she felt sick, but she wanted this guy away from her-- NOW.  
  
"_Don't touch me,_"  
  
She said, her voice shuddering as she spoke, and steeled herself to meet his eyes when saying this.  
  
To her shock, Sanji's eyes were full of a terribly familiar pain. _Rejection._ She'd... she'd seen it more than that time at the dance. _She'd rejected him before. Many times._ He looked so lost. Like he really didn't understand. And as though he truly deserved to know. He looked as though he _had_ to hear her tell him exactly what she thought of him.  
  
"I... don't understand,"  
  
He said brokenly, his eyes searching hers with that same desperate yearning,  
  
"Why do you keep turning me away? Is-- is it something I do? Something I-- I did? Why is it that-- that you always run from me?"  
  
To her immense shock, she felt sharp tears rush to the back of her eyes; she tried hard not to blink and felt horrified at herself to feel the hot saltiness gather.  
  
_Why am I-- what are these tears?_  
  
The lead-like burden returned to pressure her inner-chest heavily; she took in a shaky breath before snapping with as much indignation as she could muster,  
  
"I do not-- run from you. I have never--"  
  
"You do too,"  
  
He interrupted, and Nami realised he was gathering a determined resolve to pull this out of her,  
  
"You always turn away when I look at you --"  
  
Her breath caught in her throat like a lump, the pin-pricks at the back of her heart turning to repeated, deeply driven nails, cruelly cold and pain-staking,   
  
"-- you decline everything I try to do for you --"  
  
The nails turned to knives that stabbed deeply and callously,  
  
"-- and you always say something so damn cold and calculated --"  
  
The knives in her chest twisted, and with a mixed cry of pain and confusion, the tears she had tried to hold in burst and rolled down her face. But she held her face up, and looked straight into his eyes.  
  
"Do you want to know why?"  
  
Nami snarled, her voice miraculously clear and unshaky, but her eyes narrowed and the tears continuing to fall,  
  
"Are you that curious to know why I don't want you freaking near me?!"  
  
Her voice raised an octave with her last three words, and she could see through a watery sheen of tears that Sanji looked completely stunned.  
  
"I can't explain it myself. If I could have, I would have. But I couldn't, but if you really must hear the freaking reason, then I'll have you know that _every freaking time_ you step near me, something-- something goes _wrong_!!"  
  
Nami realised with a jolt that this was the first time she had said this out loud to anyone. But now that she had started, she didn't know how to stop.  
  
"You come close to me, I get sudden pangs of migraines, and my chest starts contracting or spasming -- whatever you want to brand it. And although I don't understand it, there's a pain. I feel like someone's stabbing the freaking hell out of me. Whenever you-- you smile, or you--"  
  
She was starting to lose her control; her voice was getting unlevelled again, and she paused to regain a normal voice before saying in a rush,  
  
"Whenever you try to get all close or nice to me, it bloody hurts!!"  
  
There was a very long silence between the model and herself, and Nami realised with a start that people around her were trying not to stare. Probably thought it was a lover's spat. The thought made her feel worse, and she felt so sick she could retch all of a sudden. The pain had intensified to a point she had a distant and vague thought about a hospital.  
  
His expression was unreadable for a few seconds. To Nami's shock, he next spoke in a completely calm and cool voice.  
  
"I-- I still don't understand. Nami-san, you're saying you are sick, but you're also pinning the blame on me. How could I be making you sick? Do-- do I disgust you or something?"  
  
Nami felt as though the bottom of her stomach had dropped out, and so had everything else but her heart, still beating out rhythmetic spasms of pain. And she found she couldn't speak - not because she had nothing to say, but because she found her throat too tight to use. Hearing her silence and misinterpreting it, Sanji's eyes rounded before growing so sad she couldn't understand how anyone could look so terribly wounded when they looked perfectly fine.  
  
"Is-- is that it? Is that what you were trying to say? What you meant?"  
  
What tumbled out of her mouth next was not what she had intended to say.  
  
"Stop asking so many questions."  
  
His eyes widened for a split second before narrowing. But Nami could see he was not angry, but disbelieving.  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
"I said, stop asking so many questions. You're even stupider than I thought. Can't you take rejection like a freaking man? Or do you need me to tell you word by word?"  
  
He did not reply, and Nami had the impression he was still trying to swallow the words she had spat out. Before he could, she barrelled on against her instinct.  
  
"_I don't like you._ You're freaking arrogant and you seem to think that by getting to me you're going to get Vivi. Or something like that. Or maybe you just think that because I'm so-calledly popular, you've got to add me to your list of 'girls I've wooed in my pathetic life-span'. Well, you've got another thing coming."  
  
She avoided his eyes carefully, and quite involuntarily took a step backward. She felt as though each word she said hammered a nail into her aching heart, but it felt somewhat safe at the same time because she was nailing a board around it. She had exposed enough, hadn't she?  
  
"Guys like you sicken me. The way you think you're so freaking cool. Like you really think you're so great. Freaking up yourself. Whatever. And you pretend like you're so nice--"  
  
Her last word cast a sledgehammer at her direction, and she winced visibly but continued,  
  
"Like you really like me--"  
  
Another word, another blow; she choked on her next words,  
  
"As though you really freaking care--"  
  
She dimly realised her throat was so constricted her words were coming up quieter each second, her eyes keeping her vision in a constant haze because of the tears slipping past her cheeks. She took another step backwards, ready to spit out her last words and stalk away, wanting to leave this terrible pain and confusion forever.  
  
"I find you repulsive._ I hate you._"  
  
What happened next, Nami was so totally unprepared for it took her seconds to react to it. Sanji grabbed her shoulders and gave her a sharp shake, her hair-bun shaking a little loose, and her eyes met his gaze.  
  
Concern and worry flooded his eyes and his voice, and Nami could hear his words even through her stange, paralysing shock, and the pounding pain in her ears.  
  
"Is something wrong, Nami-san? You-- you don't seem very-- are you feeling all right?"  
  
He was no where near angry.  
  
For some reason, that pissed the hell out of her.  
  
"Damn it, Sanji-kun!!!"  
  
She yelled, not caring or even noticing the looks her outburst attracted, and she balled her hands into fists so tightly her knuckles cracked. Without warning she slammed them against Sanji's ribcage. It wasn't a girly fist-hitting scene. Her anger surged through her, and with a true intention to hurt, she jammed her fists against his chest again, screaming,  
  
"@#$% it, Sanji-kun, why the hell aren't you angry?! Why the hell are you worried about me?!!"  
  
Tears were running uncontrollably past her chin and dripping onto her collar-bone, but she didn't give a damn. He didn't reply, his hands still at her shoulders, and almost blinded by the anger this gave her, Nami rammed her knuckles into his chest again, angry at the fact it seemingly had no effect.  
  
"What do I have to do to make you go away?! How will you freaking give up?!!"  
  
She glared up defiantly, her arms working to rid herself of his grip, and successfully made his hands drop to his sides. When she met his gaze, however, she froze at his expression.  
  
He was smiling. Dear God, why is he smiling? Nami thought desperately.  
  
"Uhm... you can't do much... you can't seem to explain why you feel repelled from me, Nami-san, but I have the same unexplainable attraction to you,"  
  
He said in a helpless tone. The honesty in his voice struck Nami more painfully than anything else that had ever hurt her.  
  
_How can he still say that, after all the things I just told him?!_  
  
He kept his slightly lop-sided smile, still smiling at her. Not confidently or painfully. He looked hopelessly lost, but was smiling reassuringly for her, at his own expense.  
  
_For her, at his own expense._  
  
The words seemed to flare in forcefulness, and for a reason Nami didn't know, they made the walls around her heart crumble and fall apart. All of a sudden, the painful burning spread like wildfire to her chest, filling her with a terrible intensity she had never felt before.  
  
Pressing a palm to her mouth to muffle the sob she had let out as the words she had conjured burned mercilessly into her, Nami began to cry in harsh fits, her other arm encircling her own waist in a self-hug of poor assurance. Her chest and her mind pounded as she cried of both the pain and the frustration.  
  
Sanji looked absolutely lost. He very, very badly wanted to help her, but he just didn't know how.  
  
He reached for her, hesitantly, wanting the same spontaneity that had caused him to grab her shoulders to give him the courage to hold her and be some sort of comfort, despite how weak it may be, to her.  
  
But his arms stopped before they could touch her.  
  
He couldn't.  
  
His arms fell to his sides and he stood, watching her tears and her pain in his own complete helplessness.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	26. Where's the Captain?

  
A/N:: Roz-san!! Waiiiiiii! *huggles* ^^* Where've you been?? You still busy as usual? I put up a final word and now my site is a technically 'dead' site, but everything's still there... just no longer updated. ^^; But thank you for your lavishes; I'm blushing. *^^* I hope nothing's bearing down on you now! *^.^* God bless!   
  
  
  
"Great. I think this is enough to impress Nami and Sanji,"  
  
Said Usopp in a satisfied tone,  
  
"Let's go back to GLU and see if Nami's there yet."  
  
"Why don't we just meet again tomorrow?"  
  
Zoro asked irritably. He had been sitting far too long in the restaurant with the long-nosed engineer; he needed a good stretch... and a good nap.  
  
"No way. I'll forget everything I just remembered!"  
  
Usopp said enthusiastically, and began to gather up everything strewn on the table; a notebook, several loose-leaf papers, a bunch of pencils and pens. Dumping the items unceremoniously into his bag, he jumped up and started off.  
  
"Let's go, Zoro, come on! What happened to the energetic, active you?"  
  
"Energetic? Active?"  
  
Zoro echoed disbelievingly, the disbelief multiplied by the fact he had to actually jog to keep up with Usopp's fanatic steps.  
  
"Yes! Don't you remember? You'd skip around the deck of the Going Merry, smiling and cheering merrily while sharing a drink or two with the cap'n!"  
  
"...That's a humongous lie, and you know it. I'm not even active or energetic now, in case you haven't noticed."  
  
"Damn it! Why does everyone always know when I'm lying?"  
  
Usopp whined. Zoro rolled his eyes, deciding to let the so-called 'engineer' (weren't engineers supposed to be smart?) figure it out for himself.  
  
They walked in silence for a moment, Zoro finally managing to match his steps to Usopp, before Zoro chose to prompt curiously,  
  
"Captain?"  
  
"Yeah, you know. We had a captain on our ship,"  
  
Usopp said perfectly casually, unaware of the weird look Zoro was giving him.  
  
"There's-- another one? Not Kaya, or me or Sanji or Nami?"  
  
Usopp gaped at him.  
  
"Come on, you remember, don't you? Not that I can envision much from my dreams - the images are too fuzzy -, but you've got to remember - that-- that stretchy sort of guy, black hair and dash of red shirt?"  
  
An image of that very description flashed in Zoro's memory when he had had that vision back with Nami when first eating brunch with Usopp.  
  
"Ohhh. So he _is_ someone we know,"  
  
Zoro mused.  
  
"Yes! I forgot all about it! I-- I think I _saw_ him, Zoro!"  
  
"Did you?"  
  
Zoro asked in surprise. Usopp looked absolutely annoyed at himself, and he was thwacking himself on the head and sending his glasses askew in process.  
  
"Yeah! He was there and everything. I thought I'd-- I'd seen him before, and after he was gone--"  
  
"Wait a minute, you mentioned this before. This was the person you saw before I met you."  
  
Usopp's eyes widened as he realised this.  
  
"I-- I met the captain!"  
  
He exclaimed excitedly, then faltered as he said confusedly,  
  
"But he didn't recognise me,"  
  
"Sanji recognised you. So did I."  
  
Zoro commented. Usopp furrowed his brow as he asked,  
  
"You did mention Nami's roommate, Vivi, being part of this, right? Nami didn't recognise her."  
  
"But maybe that's why they get along so well."  
  
"Sub-conciously, I suppose. But they've never talked about it. Maybe... if they're not directly connected to us... they're... they're harder to recognise. For example, Nami had no idea that Kaya was part of this 'conspiracy thing', and she was screened all over the place..., but I saw her and recognised her straight away."  
  
Usopp had a great look of concentration, but seemed to have overlooked a major flaw in that theory in Zoro's opinion.  
  
"So you mean this captain had nothing much to do with us?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I mean... I can't seem to be remember too much... but something seems a little out of place about that."  
  
"Oh. You're right... but..."  
  
Usopp said, scratching his head with a sweatdrop.  
  
"Maybe the person you saw wasn't the captain,"  
  
Zoro said off-handedly, when Usopp shook his head.  
  
"No, it can't be. I mean, he had the same atmosphere and everything... he also looked so bloody familiar...!"  
  
Groaning in frustration, the engineer pent it out by running in small, random circles and yelping. Zoro noted that this looked weirdly normal in his vision, whereas everyone else was looking at Usopp with astonished and amused looks. A little girl by Zoro's knee pointed at Usopp and said 'loony loony' in small giggles who was hastily shushed up by her mother.  
  
Zoro took it to his liberty to drag Usopp away from the attention during mid-yelp and towards GrandLine University.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nami began to enter the university's front entrance and Sanji started to follow, only to be shot with a cold glance.  
  
"I'd appreciate it if you'd let me go in first before following a very long distance away,"  
  
She said frostily. Nami had regained her composure, and with it a very icy edge. Sanji had refrained from saying anything on the walk back to the university, but was now surprised enough to start saying,  
  
"But--"  
  
"I've just cried in front of a person who has managed to cause me a lot of pain. Spare me the dignity of at least walking in unwatched and unguarded by the same entity."  
  
Sanji watched her flounce off with a small sigh. She was so smart and so cute at the same time, even when she was being so cold. Watching her cry had given him an awful feeling, but yet it made him feel somewhat... refreshed. She had finally shown him another emotion that wasn't hidden in her usual icy exterior.  
  
He had been seconds away from a swooning fit, but his eyes latched onto someone passing by him unconciously, his ears pricking at the snatch of conversation flitting by:  
  
"--too late, we'll have to come back some other time--"  
  
The model slid his eyes to the direction of the retreating sound of rolling wheels to see the same young man who had been skate-boarding with tricks the previous evening, along with his friend.  
  
A pang hit Sanji in the chest as he realised with a jolt what had been bugging him the first time he'd seen this man. It was a similar feeling to what he'd gotten around Usopp and Zoro - it had the same sort of familiarity. Jaw dropping in surprise, Sanji's eyes followed the two skaters conversing all the while, and wondered what was making him feel so strangely urgent with this guy.  
  
He looked _incredibly_ familiar. He didn't know what made him do it, but his feet started to follow the young man, his eyes trained on his messy mop of black hair and lean shoulders and stance. That itself was so recognisable, yet Sanji had no idea who this person was...  
  
He had only taken several steps, however, Usopp and Zoro came into sight. It looked as though Zoro had tuned out Usopp's voice while dragging him to the university, with Usopp whining. Sanji winced - it had taken to a new, highly irritating octave.  
  
"Ow, ooowwww, owowow!! Let go-- leggoleggo--LET!!"  
  
Zoro dropped Usopp, his expression turning from determined ignorance to shock, Usopp following likewise while straightening his collar. They stood before the path of the two skaters, and they stopped their skateboards and looked rather puzzled that Usopp and Zoro were staring at them and blocking the pavement.  
  
"Er, is something a problem?"  
  
The young man with the black hair asked politely, all the while raising an eyebrow and exchanging glances with his friend. Sanji wondered why he had even asked without simply brushing past the engineer and student; perhaps it was the fact they were both staring at the man as though he had three eyes.  
  
"Uhm... don't I-- you know me?"  
  
Usopp managed to say, his eyes scanning the young man uncertainly.  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
The polite tone changed to politely puzzled, and it was all Sanji could do to not run up there and give Usopp a good kick for asking something so stupid irrational.  
  
"I--I mean,"  
  
Usopp said flusteredly,  
  
"Like-- haven't you felt like--?"  
  
"Have we met before?"  
  
Zoro interrupted, showering Sanji with relief. Usopp was probably going to make the guy think he was a looney. Or already had, it was hard to tell from the bemused expression on the young man's face.  
  
"I don't think we have,"  
  
Said the skater, still with a sense of amusement,  
  
"You've got the wrong person."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Zoro asked carefully,  
  
"You sure seem... _familiar._"  
  
He accentuated the word, looking at the skater with a piercing stare while saying it. Sanji inhaled sharply - that was a big enough hint as any that anyone could make. He waited for the mystery of the young skater to finally unravel --  
  
"Look,"  
  
Said the young man, shaking his head with a light-hearted laugh,  
  
"You've seriously got the wrong person. I could swear I've never seen you two people before."  
  
Sanji's jaw dropped.  
  
_No way. But he's-- got to be someone-- he's got to definitely be part of--_  
  
"Are you really sure about that?!"  
  
Usopp blurted out before he could stop himself, and both skaters looked at him in surprise as he continued,  
  
"You look just like someone we're sure to have met before, I--"  
  
"Hey, back off man,"  
  
The black-haired skater's companion interrupted, and his eyes had narrowed in slight suspicion. This was hardly surprising; Usopp and Zoro were practically harrassing the young man.  
  
"Right. Sorry about that."  
  
Zoro said quickly, and made way for the two skaters, stepping on Usopp's toes in process to shut him up. The skaters glanced at each other and shrugged before setting off, the black-haired skater throwing a 'no problem' over his shoulder.  
  
Usopp looked as though he could punch Zoro for letting them off so easily, and Sanji privately agreed with the look Usopp was giving Zoro. He couldn't believe it himself; that guy looked damn familiar, and he had been so close to quenching the question. Zoro, however, gave a glare back to the engineer.  
  
"I'll admit he looked familiar, but... he didn't really..."  
  
"What do you mean he didn't really?! He seemed like it, didn't he??"  
  
"Yeah, but--"  
  
"Oi, cabbage-head and long-nose,"  
  
The model let the two notice him and walk towards his direction.  
  
"Did you see--?"  
  
"Yeah, I did. He did look awfully familiar."  
  
"But not the same kind of recognising we had,"  
  
Zoro said with a slight frown. Sanji was about to argue, when he remembered. Zoro was right. The familiarity had been _similar_ but not _exactly..._ Usopp shared the same frown as Zoro did, mumbling,  
  
"But we can recognise him all the same... why can't he...?"  
  
"Aah, I can't be bothered to think about it,"  
  
Zoro said, his expression clearing as he stretched out his arms above his head,  
  
"I'm going in. You can go in to see Nami if you want."  
  
Usopp nodded as Zoro walked into the university grounds, though he still looked a little troubled, and was about to follow when Sanji warned him,  
  
"I wouldn't see her yet."  
  
The engineer blinked in surprise at the blonde, who was turning a little red as he remembered Nami's weird attitude and outburst and all her tears.  
  
"Did something happen with you guys outside?"  
  
Usopp asked curiously, and the model only nodded. Sighing with a shrug, Usopp walked past the entrance to the other side of Sanji.  
  
"Okay then. I guess I'll give her a call. Think we could meet again around eight or nine? I'd really like to talk about that guy... Maybe we can work out something."  
  
Sanji gave an absent-minded noise of agreement, when a question occurred to him.  
  
"Usopp... what exactly is the point of this?"  
  
Usopp gave a small sigh. Apparently, he had wondered about this himself.  
  
"Sanji, I can't answer that. I don't know either. But... there's just something that attracts us all together, right? Something really hard to pin-point. There are so many questions... like, what exactly is it that is linking us all together? Why now and not before? And I'd really like to know why I get occasional pains in my chest when I'm around certain people in certain situations."  
  
A jolt ran through Sanji at Usopp's last words.  
  
_"..., I get sudden pangs of migraines, and my chest starts contracting or spasming -- whatever you want to brand it."_  
  
Usopp went on, having not noticed Sanji's glazed look of shock.  
  
"It was like that once when I confronted Nami about a really painful memory. I was really choked up, and I feel so hurt deep down. I don't understand the pains at all, so..."  
  
_"And although I don't understand it, there's a pain. I feel like someone's stabbing the freaking hell out of me."_  
  
"It's really weird... the pain goes away when I'm not near that person, or that situation, or both... it's not a medically explainable problem, I don't think..."  
  
_"Whenever you try to get all close or nice to me, it bloody hurts!!"_  
  
Sanji lit up a cigarette, his eyes shutting as he tried to ignore the headache begging to be unleashed to the rest of his brain from too much impact. However, he continued to listen to Usopp.  
  
"I guess I just want answers. Maybe if we keep talking to each other, we can unearth something. At least, that's what I'm hoping."  
  
He gave a crooked smile to Sanji before waving and walking away, leaving Sanji to have a much more better idea of just what exactly was bothering Nami.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hanging his head outside the window boredly, the boy pouted.  
  
Sure, he knew now he was going the correct way and was no longer lost at all.  
  
But how on earth had he managed to wander two hours away from GrandLine University?! He didn't understand it.  
  
Folding his glasses and tucking them into his jumper pocket, he sighed, settling into his seat and removing his head from the window-sill and narrowly avoiding getting hit by a passing truck side-mirror.  
  
His stomach gave a deep growl, causing the small boy to scowl.  
  
"I'll feed you later,"  
  
He muttered, and broodingly stared at the dimming skies outside the leisurely moving bus.  
  
  
  
  
**A/N:: I will update again in four days. ^.^ Everything will be revealed soon. Heheh. Thank you for your wonderfully kind words to me... but I don't deserve them... *weeps* I love you guys! Thanks for caring to leave a word or two... it makes me feel special. *^^***


	27. Lies, Libraries and Musings

  
  
Usopp had to fumble with his keys before hurriedly shoving it into the lock of his front door because the phone inside was ringing insistently. He threw the door open before slamming it shut, flung himself onto his small couch in a semi-dive for the ringing phone on an end-table beside it.  
  
"H-Hello?"  
  
He said in slight difficulty, still recovering from his save.  
  
"Ano... U-Usopp-san?"  
  
A very soft and hesitant voice sounded at the other end, and Usopp choked on his next words in surprise.  
  
"K-Kaya? Is that you?"  
  
A sharp pang of the same, wrenching pain infiltrated his chest, but it flitted away in the next second as Kaya's relieved voice replied,  
  
"Oh, I'm so glad. I thought I might have gotten the wrong number."  
  
"But I gave it to you, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes, but I might have written it down wrong or..."  
  
"Heh. I remember I once wrote down someone's number wrong."  
  
Usopp recalled the time he had tried to call Nami's new mobile phone, but had instead reached a blindingly numb dial tone every time. He had bothered to call the same number ten times in a row before realising he was an idiot.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
She actually sounded genuinely interested.  
  
"Uh, nothing, actually. Phone was dead everytime I tried."  
  
"Oh. I see."  
  
Why did he feel so stupid all of a sudden? Usopp shook his head to keep himself from thoughts like 'I am lame' running through it, and opened his mouth to ask what the actress had called for. The words that came out, however, were completely different.  
  
"So I tried again, thinking I wrote the six too much like a zero or something. But this 'Pizza and Pasta Parlour' picked up instead. I thought it was my friend kidding around though, but..."  
  
_Eh? What the hell am I saying?_ Usopp thought with a sweatdrop, _That never happened._ But he couldn't seem to stop speaking. He'd lost control of his mouth. In seconds he was imitating the voices in a supposed conversation he had held with the manager of the 'Pizza and Pasta Parlour' and making Kaya laugh so hard she got the hiccups.  
  
_Damn. I'm... **lying**. And I don't know if this is a good thing but I seem to be really good at it, too. I mean... unusually enough, she's **believing** me, unlike some people I know..._  
  
"Usopp-san?"  
  
Snapping out of thought, Usopp laughed.  
  
"Sorry, I sort of spun off track there. What'd you call for, Kaya?"  
  
She paused here, and Usopp raised an eyebrow in puzzlement at the sudden silence. When Kaya next spoke, she sounded embarrassed.  
  
"Ano... I just thought... (_hic_)I-- I'm sorry for disturbing you. I was... (_hic_) feeling in need of a good talk."  
  
She hiccupped loudly again, and let out a nervous giggle.  
  
"Or a good laugh."  
  
Usopp blinked. She sounded so shaky.  
  
"Uh, are you okay, Kaya?"  
  
There was a pause, and Usopp immediately got the message - she didn't want to talk about it, whatever it was bothering her.   
  
"Last time I had the hiccups, I had to do a presentation for a group of representatives."  
  
Usopp took a second to realise the words had sprung from his own mouth.  
  
_Gah! Another lie!_  
  
"That must have (_hic_) been terrible."  
  
Kaya said, and Usopp spent the next half hour doing spirited animations of himself in several imaginated sequences, each scenario becoming sillier by the word but each making Kaya laugh herself to stitches. Finally, Kaya hurriedly told Usopp she had to hang up before Merii found out - he'd just returned home.  
  
"Who's Merii?"  
  
"I'll tell you later. Can I... call you sometimes?"  
  
She'd asked it quietly and tentatively, but Usopp immediately answered,  
  
"Of course."  
  
After hanging up, the engineer stared at the phone in disbelief and mild surprise. He couldn't believe himself.  
  
How on earth had he managed to say all those stories just to make her laugh, and yet feel so good about it?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Zoro entered pulled out a chair in the GrandLine University library, and as he settled into it pulled out his physics books from his bag. He was somewhat unsurprised to see that Tashigi still hadn't noticed he'd sat down next to her, and she was muttering calculations out loud while writing down a rough draft for some biology investigation.  
  
Now that Zoro had been with Tashigi a few times, she was becoming a lot more noticeable to his eye - even within a crowd of students. Her black thick-rimmed glasses and her raven-black hair that nicked the edge of her neck seemed incredibly easy to spot. Then again, it could be the fact Tashigi was sitting alone at a table to herself.  
  
He started with his own physics investigation, studying his notes - or at least, trying to. The way she was biting her lower lip in concentration, occasionally brushing loose strands of hair off her face and just so absorbed in her work kept catching his peripheral vision.  
  
Why did that keep happening? He didn't understand why he felt so strange when Tashigi smiled rewardingly at her completed table. Shaking his head, he decided it had to do with the overall sense of comfort he had with the girl.  
  
_It's like I've been around her before,_  
  
He mused, then paused as he thought about that.  
  
_Does this mean she's also...?_  
  
"Oi."  
  
Zoro said, and startled the wits out of Tashigi.  
  
"Gah!!"  
  
Yelping, she absurdly knocked her glasses against her pen and sent it flying under the table. She bent down hurriedly to pick it up, banged her forehead against the edge of the table and cried out 'ouch!', followed by 'oh no!' as loose-leaf papers slipped off the table and fell into disarray at her feet. She gave Zoro a helpless look.  
  
"Uh, hi."  
  
The helpless look froze Zoro to the spot momentarily.  
  
His eyes blanked as the quiet sounds of books shutting and shifting with the occasional soft chatter of students ceased to a pure silence. The sharp and clean edges of the image of Tashigi sitting before the library's custom grey-white tables slid and splintered out of proper focus; he squinted reflexively, and Tashigi's face switched to another girls face; blue eyes and shorter, rounded hair - then back to Tashigi - but they both shared exactly the same face of helplessness.  
  
The scene flickered, and Zoro saw a flash of darkness; the next second his vision was plunged into night-time, a passing wind playing with the girls hair, but her eyes were filled with tears as she gave Zoro a shaky smile... his eyes widened as she mouthed words he couldn't hear, a pale hand rising from the sword-sheath in her grasp to wipe at her tears.  
  
_You idiot._  
  
She gave a smile mixed with gratefulness and happiness, yet stained with tears...  
  
_Even though you're a weakling._  
  
...and she reached a hand towards Zoro, still mouthing words...  
  
_-- It's a promise --_  
  
...and Tashigi's hand grabbed Zoro's shoulder and gave him a hard shake.  
  
"Zoro Roronoah. Zoro. Zoro?"  
  
"Uh, wha--?"  
  
Blinking as the sunshine from the windows seemed to spill in and illuminate his entire vision, he shut his eyes tightly for a minute and gave himself a mental shake.  
  
_Who was that? She looked beyond familiar. I know that girl. And Tashigi looks just like..._  
  
"Tashigi..."  
  
Zoro said slowly, and Tashigi looked almost scared as answered,  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Zoro closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them to meet Tashigi's eyes properly.  
  
"Have you ever felt like..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Come on Nami,"  
  
Vivi coaxed gently, soothingly rubbing Nami's shoulder as she spoke,  
  
"Talk to me. I'll at least try to understand."  
  
Nami very slowly shifted her face from her pillow to let her eyes meet Vivi's gaze. She was ashen-faced and her eyes looked darker than usual, her overall expression very tired.  
  
"I don't really want to talk about it,"  
  
She said dully, but inside a strong resolution to not tell Vivi a word of how she was truly feeling burned stronger. She had told Vivi some of the basics of what had been happening in her life - just the possibility of a connection between her and Usopp and Zoro - but she hadn't said a word about anything else.   
  
_"I was just in a bad mood because I was forced to think about things I didn't have any idea how to get answers to. I don't really have too much against Sandy White..."_  
  
'Pfft,'  
  
Nami thought as she remembered her words,  
  
'I haven't said a dumber lie before, have I?'  
  
She definitely _did_ have something against Sandy White - or rather, Sanji-kun. In fact, the name 'Sandy White' was sounding positively _wrong_, now that she thought about it.  
  
She had never felt such excruciating pains in her chest, nor such terrible headaches. But what really nettled her was the fact that now she was away from Sanji, nothing of the pain remained, but she was feeling increasingly stupid and immature by the minute.  
  
What she had said must have really driven deeply into Sanji, and she was irritated at now was the engulfing tide of regret she was wading through. She hated the fact she regretted. But she didn't exactly know what it was that had made her repel the model like a cat to a dog, and she just didn't understand the pangs of pain. Even now she was trying to figure out what it was about him that made her recoil.  
  
Maybe it was the way he'd smiled at her even though she had done her best to infuriate him. Or perhaps his innocent happiness back when they had been dancing, as though she was the best thing that had happened to him - even though she hardly knew him. Or it could be his total lack of ability to understand women, but then again, not a single man had that...  
  
It had been the first time she'd let herself cry infront of a guy... or was it? She had a firm memory of never crying infront of anyone but her foster mother and sister - no father - but... something nagged at her brain... something like a word she just had on the tip of her tongue but couldn't seem to grasp the right word --  
  
_"GO AWAY!! You don't even know what's going on!! Just go!! Just... go..."_  
  
Her eyes widened as the words rang distantly through her mind -- these words again! She strained to try and keep listening, but the words were fading --  
  
_"...H-help me..."_  
  
Too distant! Nami shut her eyes, concentrating hard for that last part of what she was sure was a memory--  
  
_"...Luffy...!"_  
  
She was startled out of her reverie by a piercing whistle in the air of the dormitory. It was her cellular phone's ringtone. She scrambled for it, revelation overcoming her as she held onto the name she had just heard and also thankful for a diversion - Vivi had been gently pleading for her to tell her what was making Nami so upset for the past hour or so.  
  
"Nami here,"  
  
She mumbled into her mouthpiece, and having seen the caller ID, she added,  
  
"What's up Usopp?"  
  
"Let's meet at eight or nine. I want to talk about the captain."  
  
He answered,  
  
"It's pretty important, I'd say. This guy we saw... he really makes me think... By any rate, I'd reallyappreciate a group gathering of memories."  
  
"Is it that important?"  
  
Nami muttered irritably, not wanting to see anything 'familiar' for a while.  
  
"Well... I have this feeling that this guy I'm thinking of just _might_ be the key to this whole 'thing'."  
  
"The key?"  
  
She repeated inquisitively.  
  
"Yeah, you know what I mean... like, everything working out. Making sense of our linkage to the other. Stuff like that."  
  
For the first time since her issue with Sanji, Nami perked up a little. The idea of the huge knot in her stomach resolving; or at least finding out the reason she couldn't go near Sanji without getting chest pains or headaches gave her a flutter of hope and cheer.  
  
"Eight or nine? Let's meet at nine then. I've got homework."  
  
Nami said, concealing how much she liked the idea of ridding herself of the ludicrous guilt she had.  
  
"Great. Tell the cook that for me, will you?"  
  
He hung up, and Nami felt a nasty pang as she realised she knew immediately who the 'cook' was. Regret and guilt returned in a rushing wave, and letting out a grumble of complaint, Nami laid back on her pillow.  
  
Vivi sighed, stood up and left Nami alone to brood at whatever her problem was.  
  
And Nami was left to herself to contemplate the rush of anticipation she felt as she conjured the name back to her mind...  
  
_"...Luffy...!"_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Usopp reached the second landing of the second extension of GrandLine University to see, to his surprise, no one there but one person staring absent-mindedly at a door.  
  
"Zoro?"  
  
He called out, and Zoro, startled, returned a wave.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
Zoro asked, and Usopp raised an eyebrow in surprise.  
  
"We were going to meet at nine to talk about the captain."  
  
"Right,"  
  
Zoro said, remembering Sanji telling him something like this,  
  
"I forgot."  
  
"Tuh,"  
  
Usopp said, rolling his eyes, and proceeded to go to room 211 and knock on the door. Nami answered, and looked relieved when she saw who was at the door.  
  
"Usopp! Hey,"  
  
She said as she shut the door with a snap behind her. Usopp frowned.  
  
"Where's Sanji? Didn't you tell him what time to meet?"  
  
Nami turned just the lightest shade of red as she muttered,  
  
"I forgot."  
  
"We can go get him upstairs,"  
  
Zoro suggested, and the three were soon trooping up the stairs while listening to Usopp's musings.  
  
"You know, I figure that this captain guy is pretty important. I mean, even though I feel a lot less 'empty' with you guys than when alone... I still feel like something missing."  
  
"I guess I feel that way too,"  
  
Nami commented, sub-conciously tugging at a long lock of orange hair as she spoke,  
  
"I feel like something's missing... and I still feel like something's just not right."  
  
"Maybe the captain guy might explain some of the things we just don't get,"  
  
Zoro said, and all of them secretly hoped so, though Nami said,  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
As they approached the fourth floor, Usopp asked,  
  
"Why is this place so empty? Usually it's full of students."  
  
Nami shrugged.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe they're scared that motorcyclists will come charging in at them."  
  
Having reached the fourth floor landing, they were surprised to see Sanji fumbling with the card key to his dormitory.  
  
"You were outside?"  
  
Zoro called out, and Sanji, looking stricken, spun around to stare.  
  
"Ahck!!"  
  
He yelped so suddenly they jumped,  
  
"You didn't know? I mean-- I just found out too, but -- new security measures -- people gotta be in their dorms and stay in there from nine --"  
  
"You mean the patrolling starts today?!"  
  
Nami cringed as, to her and the others' horror, voices could be heard echoing up the stairwell.  
  
"--too early for the kids, they'll be complaining soon--"  
  
"Don't blame them, I'd hate it too--"  
  
"--For their own good, they asked for better security--"  
  
Zoro, Nami and Sanji's jaws dropped in horror as all three of them immediately recognised the third voice as a very affronted Mr. Harrison. Even Usopp recognised the voice; his eyes rounded as he mouthed, _not the dean!_  
  
Both genders hanging outside a dorm room equals not good.  
  
Without a second thought, shoving the card key in, Sanji kicked the door open and the four ran into the room before shutting it quickly. The four of them stared at the door as though afraid it may burst into flames. An entire minute passed as they held their breath as one.  
  
Voices passed by their door, and faded away. Once the voices and footsteps had completely disappeared, the four let out a collective sigh of relief.  
  
They had been so engrossed with the door they were all startled when a voice behind them snorted and snapped,  
  
"It's about time!"  
  
Spinning around in shock, their jaws dropped and their eyes widened as they saw...  
  
  
  
  
A/N: *blinks* Will update soon. Arigatou for over 100 reviews! *cries* The enormity of the fact people bothered to leave over one hundred reviews has me overwhelmed. *bows* I love you all. *sobs with happiness* *^^*  
And I thought I'd point out... what made you think this was going to end after the explanations? *insert groans from audience smothering the too-high-to-be-evil laughs from the author*   
  
  



	28. Kale

  
  
Spinning around in shock, their jaws dropped and their eyes widened as they saw...  
  
A boy. He couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve, and he looked up at them irritably from behind thick glasses as he tossed a crumpled paper bag into a bin. He seemed about to say more, but noticed that his gesturing hands were still coated in grease, and started to rub them against his red jumper in a grunt of annoyance.  
  
Sanji and Zoro shared mystified glances, and both found their voices as the same time.  
  
"Your cousin?"  
  
They asked each other in perfect unison, blinked, then glared at the boy as they realised he wasn't supposed to be there.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Sanji demanded, and the boy gave up on his hands and instead gave a very wide grin.  
  
"I'm so glad I finally found you,"  
  
He said, eyes glinting at them behind thick lenses,  
  
"I only just got wind of you, but it still took a while. I guess I'm sorry for being incompetent."  
  
The others exchanged weird looks, and the boy sighed.  
  
"I guess I better introduce myself, then..."  
  
He slid the glasses off his nose, pocketed them, then looked up with a very, very familiar grin.  
  
"I don't think any of you can pronounce my name, so you can call me Kale."  
  
Nami was frozen in shock. There was something very strange going on. She could recognise the boy - she was absolutely positive she knew this boy, but something seemed distorted... and the name 'Kale' didn't ring any bells.  
  
"Kale?"  
  
Usopp repeated, and Nami could see him wearing the same expression as her - and everyone else, for that matter.  
  
"Yep. You guys can sit down, by the way."  
  
He scooted off the bed to straddle a chair, and the others looked at him with guarded suspicion and not very well hidden curiosity.  
  
"How did you get in here?"  
  
Sanji asked with an edge of warning to his voice. Kale blinked almost confusedly for a second, paused, then shrugged. He pointed at the bathroom door and startled everyone else as the door swung open without warning to bang on its hinges. It shut again with an invisible push.  
  
No one said anything as they continued to gape at the door for a minute. The boy gave an impatient noise, and they turned to face the stranger slowly.  
  
"Okay. Who the hell are you?"  
  
Sanji reiterated, looking and sounding shocked.  
  
"Would you please sit down? You're making me nervous,"  
  
The boy said edgily, and the others complied reluctantly as Nami sat on Zoro's bed with Usopp and Sanji and Zoro took residence on the floor. The boy ran a hand through his hair before biting his lip nervously.  
  
"You guys won't believe me now,"  
  
Kale said, looking a little hesitant as he rubbed the back of his neck,  
  
"But you could call me a holy manifestation of the Big Guy."  
  
There was a very long silence. Zoro finally broke it as he said, with a hint of amusement and a slightly bewildered tone,  
  
"A what?"  
  
The boy sighed.  
  
"In your words, I might be what you humans call an 'angel'."  
  
A long silence followed his announcement, and the boy groaned.  
  
"God told me you'd react like this,"  
  
He muttered, running a hand through his hair frustratedly,  
  
"I knew I should have listened to Him...."  
  
"Well, you can't trespass uninvited into some person's room and expect us to believe the fact that you're an, uhm, 'angel'."  
  
Nami used her fingers as quotation marks, raising her eyebrows in emphasis. Kale called Nami something someone his age shouldn't really know how to say, and Sanji had to be knocked down by Zoro in an act to restrain him from strangling the kid.  
  
"She's right,"  
  
Zoro said, addressing the boy, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed the boy did not look the least bit thwarted. He only looked a little annoyed, as though things weren't going the way he wanted them to go.  
  
"I suggest you either give a proper introduction, or you leave."  
  
"You can't be serious."  
  
Kale said in disbelief, causing the others to look rather surprised at the forcefulness in his voice,  
  
"I mean, don't tell me you can't recognise me."  
  
That caught their full and undivided attention.  
  
"You mean... you know us?"  
  
Usopp asked carefully, and Kale snorted.  
  
"You should know me the way you people know each other. Besides Usopp and Nami, of course - they were friends already - but every one of you didn't know Zoro until rather recently, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Now they were staring at him as though he had sprouted leeks out of his ears.  
  
"Wh-wha-- who--"  
  
Nami started to splutter, but gave up trying to phrase the multitude of questions exploding at random in her head. Everyone was acting likewise, save for Zoro, who simply looked dumbfounded. Kale took a very deep breath as he shut his eyes, muttered something that sounded like 'keep calm', then opened them to fix the others with a piercing look.  
  
"I know it sounds ludicrous to you guys, but give me a chance, okay?"  
  
They did not reply, but Usopp gave a nod. They gave a very pointed look that clearly stated 'this better be good'. Kale perched on Sanji's desk-chair comfortably, taking his time before he asked,  
  
"So, tell me - have you guys figured out your connection with each other?"  
  
There was a pause before Usopp said hesitantly,  
  
"Do you know?"  
  
The small boy grinned.  
  
"That's what I'm here for."  
  
A silence followed this statement, and Kale took the opportunity to catch their attention with a loud cough before speaking.  
  
"Basically, you're all reincarnates from another world. You all belong to another creation of God called the Oda Dimension."  
  
Nami looked inclined to laugh as Sanji questioned with a raised eyebrow,  
  
"The Oda Dimension?"  
  
Shaking his head in disgust and ignoring Sanji's skeptical tone, Kale continued,  
  
"During that certain amount of time God spent in straightening out certain issues with lots of other dimensions. God decided to give certain dimensions into the care of angels He trusted very much, seeing He didn't have much time to take care of them Himself. Dimension 2024, which is your Oda Dimension - was given to Valkrief--"  
  
"Valkrief?!"  
  
Zoro repeated in a half-choked voice. Usopp and Sanji looked like they were smothering snickers, though Nami looked politely bewildered. Kale rolled his eyes.  
  
"So it's a dumb name. _I_ didn't name him. Fine - laugh yourself to death if you want, but in my opinion, the name 'Zoro' doesn't sound like a bag of sweet peas, either. It's a rather common angel name, alright?! I'm not impressed..."  
  
They barely caught his smirk as Zoro scowled before he continued,  
  
"Anyhow... Valkrief... well, he always had a @#$%ing evil streak in him, but God decided to give him a chance. Pft. Giving Valkrief responsibility was a bit of a mistake, in my opinion, but I shouldn't delve into that, so I won't..., so basically..."  
  


Something happened.

  
  
"Uh, one question,"  
  
Usopp said with a sweatdrop,  
  
"You say you're an angel, right? Are you actually allowed to swear like that?"  
  
Kale turned a little red, but he replied haughtily,  
  
"Look, I'm not a Guardian Angel or an Arch Angel or a Silver or a Gold Angel, okay?! A-and I have needs to vent out frustration and express myself, right? A-anyways...  
  
"Just know that Valkrief decided to royally screw up a couple of dimensions for the Devil in exchange for some inhumane and un-angelic powers."  
  


The something that happened, though, wasn't meant to happen.

  
  
"Shouldn't've done it, really - it was a waste of time because God over-powered and killed him once He discovered what Valkrief had done, anyways. Tad bit stupid, really..."  
  
"Didn't he know that?"  
  
Nami asked, and Kale smiled a little crookedly at her.  
  
"Nope. He was always an arrogant and vain thing, though he didn't seem to realise that. And I take this to mean you are starting to believe me?"  
  
This made the others blink as they realised they were completely enraptured in the boy's words. He gave a small chuckle which rang familiarly in their ears before he continued.  
  
"By any rate, God stopped Valkrief a bit too late. He did His best to fix many dimensions, but He was in a very busy time, remember, so He didn't really have the time He wanted to fix each dimension back to perfection..."  
  
"Perfection?"  
  
"Er, well, near perfection. Or at least perfection in God's eyes...  
  
"In the case of Dimension 2024... well, God was near the end of His tether by the time He'd reached Dimension 2024 for repairs, and He was pretty much ticked off to see just how much damage Valkrief had done to it. Totally ruined everything and everyone in the world. Would've taken what He could spend fixing fifteen other dimensions in the time he could use to fix half of yours."  
  


That something that wasn't meant to happen was something bad.

  
  
"That bad?"  
  
Sanji asked, and they were surprised to see Kale's eyes darken for a split second into what was unmistakable rage, but they flickered back to normal as he said rather coolly,  
  
"More than three-quarters of population from the Oda Dimension had died for no reason whatsoever but sadistic enjoyment. It was not a pretty sight."  
  


Altogether, this means that something bad happened that wasn't supposed to happen.

  
  
They looked at each other uncertainly, unsure of what to think, and Kale muttered,  
  
"I guess none of you will realise the meaning of this unless I do it, huh?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
Zoro asked, but Kale ignored him and went on,  
  
"So God, being typically Himself,"  
  


God decided that this bad thing that happened that wasn't supposed to happen shouldn't really have happened.

  
  
"-- simply froze the dimension and cast the souls to several other dimensions which hadn't been affected too much."  
  


So God decided that He would send the souls of those who were victims of this something bad that happened to another dimension of His, onto another planet, called Earth.

  
  
"According to Him, this dimension, Dimension 900Z, was one of the safest He had from His clutch at the moment..."  
  


He was about to restore their memories immediately, but then, God decided something...

  
  
Kale paused abruptly, as though he had been about to say something but was thinking twice about it. The others looked at him curiously.  
  


God decided that He wasn't really all that bothered, and besides, the victims were smart enough to figure things out for themselves.

  
  
Then Kale chuckled to himself before he continued,  
  
"And He chose to use seven of the thousands of souls He'd sent to this world, 900Z, to figure out everything and fix the wrongs from the other world. Apparently, you guys are just perfect for the job."  
  


So God left them alone, and decided to deal with them when the time came.

  
  
"You mean... we're supposed to be responsible for our original dimension?"  
  
Nami asked. Kale was rather surprised at the fact that none of the people before him appeared to be shocked at the fact they belonged to another universe. However, Usopp's mutter of,  
  
"I guess the Alternate Reality Theory was a fluke,"  
  
Answered his unasked question. They'd already considered possibilities to their peculiar predicament. _So God **does** have a reason for having chosen these people... They're pretty perceptive, for one thing._ Kale nodded in Nami's direction as he said,  
  
"That would be about right."  
  
"I don't get it,"  
  
Sanji said, and he sounded almost uneasy as he spoke,  
  
"Why didn't we know anything until now? I mean, if we're supposed to recover a whole other world... and just how exactly are we meant to do anything about an entire _dimension_?"  
  
Kale waggled his finger at Sanji as he said,  
  
"Two very, very good questions, Sanji-kun. Let me think about how to answer that."  
  
He tapped a finger to his chin momentarily before he sighed and said,  
  
"I guess there's only one way to go."  
  
"You mean, only one way to prove you're not just some freaky little spy wasting our time?"  
  
Zoro asked, and the boy narrowed his eyes as they flashed in anger at the green-head.  
  
"I'm an angel. Not a very high-rank one - I'm just a Messenger Angel, but that doesn't mean you can look down on me like that. Besides, didn't the 'door trick' prove anything to you?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
Usopp said, and Kale blinked before laughing.  
  
"A typical answer from an engineer, I guess. What can I do to prove I'm an angel to you?"  
  
Zoro and Sanji said in unison,  
  
"Make Sanji punch himself."  
  
"Have Nami-san settle in my lap."  
  
There was a second of silence as everyone realised what the other had said, then chaos as Sanji yelled 'HEY!' to Zoro, who was chortling to himself, and Nami glaring at Sanji for even suggesting something like that - especially when they were still on thin ice. Sanji wasn't aware of Nami's irritation, and Usopp was trying his best not to laugh and resisting the urge to make Sanji turn and see Nami burning holes through his head.  
  
Kale silenced them by letting out an extremely recognisable, hearty laugh. They stared at him as he spoke in a rather light-hearted tone just as familiar,  
  
"Okay, let's see."  
  
His hands clasped and Kale began to mutter with his eyes shut in a strange language. It didn't sound remotely human. Then they distinctly heard him mutter 'Amen' before he opened his eyes and looked at them expectantly.  
  
There was a long silence as nothing happened. Zoro looked bored, Sanji looked skeptical, and Usopp looked strangely disappointed as Nami rolled her eyes.  
  
Then, without warning, Nami lunged towards Sanji, startling him out of his wits as she flung her arms around his neck in a strangling grip as she settled in his lap. His face flushed pink with sheer pleasure -- then his own fingers curled into a firm fist before punching himself across his face. He fell onto the floor, Nami still on a death-grip on his throat. Zoro was obviously highly amused, but Usopp was a bit louder in his expression and was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.  
  
Then Nami sprung off Sanji like a bullet, looking scandalised as she hastily settled back on Zoro's bed. Sanji, sucking in breath gladly, glared daggers at Zoro, who took no notice of his anger. However, Sanji promptly decked him with Zoro's own MD player he found conveniently placed by the bed.  
  
"Hah! Watch what you wish for!"  
  
Sanji said with a triumphant grin, when Nami chucked the MD player back at his temple as she snarled,  
  
"Speak for yourself!"  
  
He gave her a wounded-puppy look as Zoro snatched his MD player and set it on the bed looking annoyed, but Nami looked frostily back before staring pointedly at Kale. Usopp caught the crimson on her ears, however, and smirked, earning a sharp jab in the abdomen.  
  
"I believe you."  
  
Usopp said with a smile. Zoro blinked before shrugging.  
  
"I guess I do too. Thanks for the entertainment, by the way."  
  
Sanji glowered at Zoro and Kale, but muttered embarrassedly,  
  
"Me too."  
  
"I'll believe you if I find your reasoning to be plausible."  
  
Nami said. Kale let out a hearty laugh that sounded terribly familiar to the others before he said in a rather breathless voice,  
  
"Right, then. Let me know first, though - just how much have each of you awoken?"  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
"I mean -- alright, tell me all you know so far about yourselves. Your _past_ selves."  
  
Each blinked and furrowed their brows slightly. Usopp spoke first.  
  
"Well, from my dreams, I know we protected my village, and then I went to join a pirate crew. Zoro and Nami were there..."  
  
"I was a swordsman,"  
  
Zoro offered, and Nami added,  
  
"I was a thief."  
  
"I was a cook,"  
  
Sanji said, and Usopp nodded as he continued,  
  
"Yeah, then we go and we infiltrate Arlong's base--"  
  
"Wait-- how about me?"  
  
Sanji interrupted, sounding a bit offended.  
  
"Oh yeah... you're recruited at the Baratie. But I don't remember doing it myself - I went to Arlong's base first. I guess Zoro..."  
  
"No, I went with you."  
  
Zoro reminded the engineer, and Usopp looked very confused.  
  
"Huh? Then when did Sanji join? He didn't come with us."  
  
"Don't you remember your captain?"  
  
Kale asked. There was a pause. Nami whispered into the silence quite suddenly,  
  
"Arlong..."  
  
The others turned to looked at her in surprise, and the girl continued in a rather unfocused haze,  
  
"...He was the one who defeated Arlong and let me be free...!"  
  
She looked directly at Kale, her eyes widened as she said in a jolt of shock,  
  
"_Monkey D. Luffy!_"  
  
"Bingo!"  
  
Kale cheered, and the guys gave collective inhalements of surprise as the name penetrated the very confines of their minds.  
  
"Luffy! Of course!"  
  
Zoro muttered. Kale looked a little disturbed as he said,  
  
"You mean you didn't even remember your captain? Then... what else do you know?"  
  
"Uhm... I don't have very good relations with Zoro,"  
  
Sanji said, and Nami added,  
  
"Neither do I with Sanji-kun."  
  
"No, that's not right,"  
  
Kale said a little strangely, surprising Nami and Sanji,  
  
"Sanji and Zoro -- correct, but for you and the cook -- It might be awkward but that-- that's because -- Usopp, didn't you get that dream yet?"  
  
Usopp blinked.  
  
"What dream?"  
  
"Gahh! You mean you haven't gotten it yet?? No wonder you're all so confused!!"  
  
Kale wailed as he pressed his forehead into his palms. The others looked bewildered.  
  
"Uhm, Kale?"  
  
"I'm sorry... but I can't believe you didn't get that dream yet. When did Zoro enter the university?"  
  
"Uhm... this Thursday,"  
  
Zoro said vaguely, and Kale's jaw dropped open.  
  
"What?! Thursday? _Four days_? You've progressed loads then..."  
  
Shaking his head, Kale gave them another crooked smile.  
  
"No wonder you guys are still confused."  
  
Nami exchanged a glance with Usopp before saying a little tentatively,  
  
"Uh, Kale, now we know you're an angel and all, but... uh, how exactly do you fit into all this? Were you sent here by God to tell us how everything is?"  
  
Kale nodded, but looked slightly troubled.  
  
"It's not _exactly_ that..."  
  
He sighed, leaning back on the desk chair as he said,  
  
"It's not that simple."  
  
A silence met this statement, and Kale suddenly fixed them all with a very sharp and serious look.  
  
"I suppose there is no other way. If Usopp hasn't gotten the dream - which would have been very distorted, but still enough - then you would have all been at least a little aware of what you are about to see now. Doing this is an extremely harsh way of doing things, but hey, it'll awaken you all very, very fully. Plus I'll be able to explain everything to you guys."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Usopp asked, worry lacing his words as he asked nervously,  
  
"What are you planning to do?"  
  
Kale sighed and replied,  
  
"I'm going to give you all a very vivid vision of yourselves in Oda Dimension version... an exact account of how each of you died."  
  
The room froze. They had never given any consideration to the idea they might have died before coming onto Earth before. Kale seemed unaffected very their response, and closing his eyes, he said,  
  
"Be prepared for a good shock."  
  
And clasping his hands together, he muttered a short prayer.  
  
Suddenly, an icy chill ran up each of their spines, and before anyone could say or do something to stop anything, their vision cracked and fell apart as their minds were plunged into a cold, inky blackness that swallowed them up. With their mouths open in silent cries of shock, their bodies slumped listlessly against the bed and the floor, and eventually, the boy's conciousness also left his body to join the others.  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Egads. I'm going in and out of conciousness a lot with fanfiction these days... =.=;; Oh well. Bear with me like you've done 'till now - I sincerely thank you for your patience and your time. *bows* By any rate, I'm sorry that I couldn't cram the entire explanation into one chapter. But let me tell you, instead, that the next chapter just may have the answers you want. *laughs* I'll update really soon, because I've finally reached a breaking point in the story. *smiles* I've been waiting to write some of these chapters since last summer! *sweatdrops* Nyaaaah.** [EDIT] Yeah, I revised and reposted the chapter. You can grab the old chapter at: if you feel like it... [/EDIT]   
  



	29. What Happened

  
  
A/N: O_O; just about sums up this chapter... and I hope you all have a bubbly Valantine's day. Arigatou. *bows*   
  
  
  
The air had a beautifully salty tang to it, and the winds whistled in bubbly cheerfulness to the captain of the Straw-hat Crew's ears. He had to do it - he just _had_ to shout it out, he couldn't keep it in --  
  
"I'M GONNA BECOME PIRATE KIIIIIIIIIING!!!!"  
  
He was promptly decked by Nami, and he collapsed below the head of the S.S. Going Merry, blinking in surprise as she glared at him.  
  
"Why are you yelling out stupid and unnecessary things when I can sense a storm coming? If you don't help out, we're going to be in a lot of hell!"  
  
Luffy pouted.  
  
"But-- but I'm hungry..."  
  
Nami let out a very scary sound that resembled a tiger growl, and taking the hint, Luffy hopped away from her and ran towards the sails. Nami shook her head with a sigh, running a hand through her hair.  
  
"It's no use, Nami,"  
  
Usopp called out, struggling to maintain a proper grip on a load of ropes in his hands,  
  
"The winds are too strong!"  
  
As if to support him, Nami's tangerine locks were whipped out of her grasp by a sudden rush of cold wind. Her skin stung sharply with the droplets of salt-water the wind carried, and she automatically let out a small scream of surprise.  
  
A very lovey-dovey sigh sounded as the blonde cook looked at her adoringly.  
  
"Nami-san is so cute when she screams,"  
  
He crooned, and Zoro snorted next to him.  
  
"Just control the key, okay?!"  
  
Nami called out.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Zoro shouted, and Nami realised the winds were howling over her words.  
  
"I said to keep control over the key!!"  
  
She yelled, and Sanji gave her a thumbs up sign before gripping the key properly. Nami felt a cool chill shrouding her shoulders; the air was growing colder and wetter against her skin, and she could feel as though something dark was coming over them... A very clear indication that they were heading straight into a very vicious storm.  
  
Nami swore under her breath as she ran over to Usopp, not wanting to shout herself hoarse over the wind.  
  
"Are you sure you're pulling those ropes properly?!"  
  
She asked frustratedly, and groaned as the first icy sheet of raindrops swept over the crew.  
  
"Why don't _you_ try pulling 'em,"  
  
Usopp retorted, and Nami could clearly see his muscles straining to keep hold on the ropes. The wind fought with the sails, pulling and tugging hard, and it was all Usopp could do to not let go. Nami noticed a dark-red staining the rope steadily from where his hands gripped the rope, and she felt a little guilty for asking.  
  
She ran over to Luffy to bully him, and the moment she came in range she yelled,  
  
"Luffy! How you putting up?!"  
  
"Not too well!!"  
  
He yelled, his arms stretching along to the will of the wind,  
  
"It doesn't want to listen to me!!"  
  
A flash whitened the ship for a split second before a booming crash of thunder sounded. The rain suddenly grew thicker and more intense as it pelted down at the crew. Blinking raindrops out of her eyes, Nami looked out of the ship. She could just see a flicker of light at the end of the huge storm they had entered. She heaved a sigh of relief, and memorising the position, she ran towards where the rudder control was.  
  
She was surprised to find Zoro alone manning the key.  
  
"Where's Sanji?!"  
  
She exclaimed. Zoro did not seem to reply, and she realised he had fallen asleep. Annoyed, Nami dug her heel into his leg, shouting,  
  
"DON'T SLEEP NOW!!"  
  
He jolted awake, rubbing at his foot and shaking rain out of his hair and eyes.  
  
"What is it?!"  
  
He yelled, and Nami was about to yell back when Sanji reappeared at the cabin door, cradling a tray of steaming buns.  
  
"Eat one while it's warm!!"  
  
He shouted as he chucked one each to Luffy and Usopp, then at Zoro. Noticing Nami, he ran on over to the key and handed one bun to Nami with a gracious smile. She grabbed his ear with a painful twist, a nerve twitching at her temple as she yelled,  
  
"You MORON!! Don't leave your post again until we leave this storm, you hear me?!!"  
  
He winced visibly and nodded hastily, and she let go of her pincer-like grip so she could take a big bite out of her bun. A delicious, hot paste filled her mouth and she sighed happily. Sanji gave a goofy grin and seemed about to say something, but Zoro interrupted as he complained,  
  
"Hold onto the key properly, you idiot!!"  
  
Glaring at him in annoyance, Sanji grabbed the key with both hands below Zoros.  
  
"Pull it to the right!!"  
  
Nami instructed. Sanji and Zoro did, when Nami shouted,  
  
"No, no, _your_ right!!"  
  
They followed, somewhat confused, and Nami stalked back over to Usopp. The buns had warmed each crew member up momentarily, but once again they were soaked to the skin and freezing cold. The rain pelted down in icy sheets, and Nami had to be careful not to slip on the planks.  
  
She nudged Usopp, gesturing for the sails, and he hesitated. However, at a glare from Nami, he gave her one rope. She scowled, and grabbed the rope from him -- and was nearly pulled off the floor from the sheer force of the billowing sails. Gritting her teeth, Nami grabbed the rope with both hands and yanked as hard as she could. Usopp flashed her a grin, and she smiled back, shaking sopping locks of orange out of her face as she did so. Then...  
  
Something happened.  
  
A sudden dark chill ran through Nami's spine, and raising an eyebrow quizzically, she craned her neck around to see what was causing it. A figure, concealed in the shadows of the storm and the sails, stood rather resolutely at the head of the S.S. Going Merry.  
  
Lightning flashed, illuminating bright amber eyes glinting at them eerily and a torn and ripped leather cloak whipping around a torso with the sharp clinking of buckles audible over the winds.  
  
The amber eyes narrowed as a sinister smile spread across his features, and midnight-blue hair pulled in a long ponytail was thrown over a shoulder. He stood up, and lightning flashed again to show a streak of lemon-yellow running from his fringe to the end of his ponytail.  
  
As the thunder rolled and crashed ominously with rain falling so hard the sharp slap of each droplet could be heard on the soaked planks, each crew member realised there was an intruder on their ship.  
  
"Who are you?!"  
  
Luffy yelled, still pulling on ropes.  
  
It happened in an instant; with a low, menacing chuckle, the figure disappeared from sight and reappeared before Luffy. The captain, caught by surprise, let out a yelp as the stranger gripped the front of his red vest in a handful and yanked him up so Luffy was face to face with the tall intruder. The stranger stared at Luffy intently for a moment.  
  
Zoro, Sanji and Usopp let out simultaneous exclamations of surprised 'Luffy!!'s as the intruder, without warning, let out a harsh laugh before throwing Luffy off the S.S. Going Merry.  
  
Luffy let out a yell of surprise as he went over the planks and repaired wooden railings before disappearing into the rain and lightning, into the sea. They saw a glimpse of his stretched hand smack onto the railings... then slip off the wet surface.  
  
Nami bit her lip. _Come on, Luffy,_ she thought almost irritatedly, _Grab something else and Gomu Gomu Rocket back up here and kick this guy's ass. Come on, Luffy, come ON!!_  
  
Luffy didn't.  
  
"He didn't even get a chance to hold onto something else,"  
  
Usopp said, dumbstruck, and Nami realised Luffy was probably on his way to drowning by now.  
  
Fiery amber eyes swept across the ship; Sanji and Zoro were well on their way to jumping off the ship to save Luffy. The intruder let out a distinct snort and pulled out from beneath the black cloak an arm adorned in black bandages. He gave it a sharp wave in Sanjis and Zoros direction; they let out cries of surprise as a sudden, invisible force slammed into them. They fell hard onto the wooden planks and skid on the rain-watered surfaces.  
  
The intruder heaved in a deep breath, his chest swelling as his eyes glittered with a malicious exhillaration. The look struck dischord in Nami. _What is this feeling? What is it that I feel different from this guy to any other?_  
  
Usopp was trembling. Nami noticed it because the ropes were jolting strangely. It was obvious this man was different; there was something immensely powerful that was sweeping a terrifying aura across the ship.  
  
"Damn it!! What the hell was that?!"  
  
Sanji yelled at Zoro.  
  
"I don't know!! Don't ask me!!"  
  
Zoro shouted back irritatedly, and stumbling back to his feet, pulled off the bandanna around his upper-arm. The wind and rain were both getting to his eyes and obscuring too much of his vision.   
  
Usopp suddenly straightened, a determined look settling on his face, and throwing his ropes to Nami he yelled,  
  
"Hold onto it for me!!"  
  
Nami's eyes widened - was Usopp serious? Where was his usual cowardice?! The ropes slid and tugged under her grasp; she held on tightly, her eyes following Usopp as he began to turn around to face one end of the ship so he could jump off and save Luffy.  
  
Another sinister chuckle resonated on the ship, then--  
  
There was a flash of electric blue so bright it forced Nami to close her eyes, but even before her lids shut, she saw that the beam was headed straight towards Usopp. A scream of warning escaped from her throat, but it was too late; as the whiteness melted back to black beyond her lids, Nami's eyes flew open and she saw that the beam of electric blue had shot straight through his stomach. Nami's eyes widened in shock and horror as Usopp's eyes widened and grew listless. His form started to crumple, and Nami lost all rational thought as she let go of the ropes, crying out,  
  
"_Usopp!!_"  
  
The pulleys squealed and the sails billowed and flapped uncontrollably under the violent wind; the ship took an awkward twist and the occupants of the ship stumbled over the slippery planks. Nami pulled herself up; it was raining so hard by now it was difficult to see... Her arms flailed at her sides, and her hands found the side railing of the ship. It had been repaired that morning by Usopp when Luffy had broken it by attempting to grab a large fish bare-handedly...  
  
_Damn it, Usopp! Luffy!!_  
  
"USOPP!!!"  
  
Zoro yelled, his eyes straining under the rain, straining to see what exactly had happened. The strange beam he had just seen; did it just shoot through Usopp's middle?! Sanji let out a menacing growl, running towards the enemy but yelping as a power beam came his way, forcing him to dodge it.  
  
Nami found her way to Usopp, dropped to her knees besides the young boy.  
  
"Hey!! Usopp, are you alive?!"  
  
He was barely breathing, and to make matters worse, it was irregular; his eyes were filled with stinging tears of pain as he pressed his fingers to his torso. He brought the hand to his face, and his eyes widened as he saw his fingers coated and dripping with fresh blood. He had never bled so much in his entire life; hell, not even Zoro had bled this much before...!  
  
Nami saw the wound, and felt as though her insides had dropped out. There was a hole straight through him - a hole the size of Luffy's hat - and blood was seeping out like a leakage out of a gaping hole in a barrel. A horrifying fear clung to her, but she saw the fear and shock etched on Usopp's expression, however, and began to say desperately, babbling thoughtlessly,  
  
"See, you _are_ alive! Hang in there, Usopp -- the injury isn't something that Chopper can't fix -- Chopper will fix you up once he's recovered, don't --"  
  
"I don't-- understand,"  
  
Usopp managed to choke out, disbelief rebounding in his voice as the rain washed the blood off the hand before his face. Blood trickled out of his mouth, and he let out a pained cough as he continued,  
  
"Am I-- am I dying?"  
  
"You idiot,"  
  
Nami yelled, her eyes suddenly stinging with unwanted tears,  
  
"You're not going to die--"  
  
Usopp's eyes strained as he whispered, unhearing of Nami's words,  
  
"Shit, this-- this really hurts--"  
  
"You'll be fine soon,"  
  
Nami cried out, and inwardly cursed herself for the tears that splashed onto Usopp's already soaked clothes.  
  
"I didn't think-- I don't want to-- ...."  
  
Usopp mumbled, and Nami could see his eyes growing red as he spoke,  
  
"Tell everyone, I'm sorry... And... Kaya..."  
  
With that, Usopp's eyes rolled back and his breath left him. Nami stood up and backed away from him, stumbling slightly as she did so, disbelieving of the scene unravelling. His blood had soaked her clothes so richly crimson not even the rain could blot it away.  
  
_Usopp did not just die. That clumsy idiot did not just die. This can't-- be real--_  
  
Zoro and Sanji were blasted against the railings of the ship, letting out sharp exhalements of pain in unison as the stranger advanced towards them, an evil look in his eyes. Then Zoro's and Sanji's eyes settled on Usopp. Sanji's cigarette dropped out of his mouth.  
  
"Usopp...?"  
  
Zoro said, obviously shocked, when the stranger let out a harsh laugh once more.  
  
"Meant to do a clean job of it,"  
  
He said, grinning insanely,  
  
"Guess I'll do a better job with the girl, then."  
  
Nami's eyes widened as he settled his amber gaze on her. Lightning brought out the delight dancing in his eyes as he took both hands out of his cloak. Both were bandaged heavily in black; a sizzle and crack fractured the air before a sudden whiteness lashed out towards her, much larger and faster than the previous beam - much more powerful, a brighter electric blue -- Nami was frozen to the spot, too shocked and traumatised to do anything, when a sudden force shoved her out of the beam's way--  
  
Her eyes rounded as they flickered to the origin of the shove; she saw, to her horror, Sanji in her place, still in mid-push. He gave her the sweetest smile she had ever seen him give her before in her life, and before sound or even breath could escape her lips, the beam met Sanji.  
  
The entire railing of wood splintered and flew everywhere, and the impact was so bright Nami couldn't see anything. She screwed her eyes shut, screaming out Sanji's name. Zoro's eyes strained as he saw, with a deep and dark stab and twist to the heart, the cook meet the beam and promptly disappear into oblivion. When Nami opened her eyes, the rain pelted down harder than ever... and there was a large, blank spot where Sanji had once been. Her eyes darted around furtively, when something wet and solid slapped against her cheek as the wind blew.  
  
She unstuck the material from her cheek, and her jaw opened in shock. It was a sliver of Sanji's black tie. Her eyes met Zoro's, and he had the gravest expression she had ever seen him wear. When she started to look over the railing, Zoro caught her eyes once more and shook his head slowly.  
  
_He's gone._  
  
It hit her then. _Sanji had just died for her._ The blonde buffoon that constantly lavished and praised her - cooked for her and protected her -- he was gone. He, who had had his own ideals and dreams -- to find the All Blue -- who had had so much strength and so much devotion -- _he had died because of her._  
  
The agony pierced her heart, and she let out an unearthly wail that startled Zoro. Zoro was deeply contemplating whether this was a dream or not, but as the wail shot through his mind and clamoured for impossible forgiveness, he realised this wasn't a dream. It was real.  
  
Luffy was drowning. Usopp had been shot dead. Sanji had been blasted away.  
  
Zoro felt an overwhelming sense of dread and sorrow. _No way._ The harsh and chilling snarl of the intruder met his and Nami's ears, and they spun to face the murderer glaring at them, his amber eyes glinting in the rain.  
  
"What chivalry!!"  
  
He was saying, amber eyes bulging out of his sockets unnaturally as he flexed his arms,  
  
"This is taking longer than I expected. Perhaps there _is_ reason for this crew to have the highest bounty in the East Blue...? Save for your pathetic captain - he was most pathetic... and the long-nosed man and blonde man were even worse."  
  
Zoro's eyes narrowed angrily, but Nami let out a sharp cry of pain. He turned, surprised at the ferocity in her voice, and saw her snapping her pole together.  
  
"DAMN YOU!!!"  
  
She screamed, her voice unrecognisable, and started to run, but Zoro saw this immediately as a Bad Move and ran towards her path. He intercepted her easily, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to halt. He shook her harshly.  
  
"Don't do _that_, you idiot!!"  
  
Nami's eyes were over-flowing with tears and hatred; she grabbed Zoro's shirt with her hands, her bottom lip bleeding from her biting it so hard, drenched orange locks stuck and framing her face.  
  
"Z-Zoro, L-Luffy-- U-Usopp-- th-they're--"  
  
Her voice was cracked, and her eyes were wildly lost and furtively searching his face.  
  
"Look, I know, but this isn't the time,"  
  
Zoro hissed. What on earth had happened to one of the smartest member of the crew?! Her cheeks were stained with tears, the silvery tracks rapidly disappearing under the raindrops, and her breathing was highly irregular and punctuated with salty swallows.  
  
"Chopper's still down there, recovering, remember?! We've got to stay calm, Nami --"  
  
"A-a-and S-Sanji-k-k-kun,"  
  
She stammered as a fresh flow of tears ran down her face, obviously not listening to a word Zoro was saying,  
  
"Z-Zoro-- Sanj-ji-k-kun, he-- he's-- g-g-_gone--_"  
  
"I know, Nami, but--"  
  
"So there's another one downstairs, is there?"  
  
Zoro spun around, forcing Nami's hands to let go, and pulled a stance with his swords while biting down on Kuina's as he fixed a piercing stare to the interested-looking intruder.  
  
"Perhaps they will provide more entertainment? More melodrama? Will this crew-member take _even longer_?"  
  
"You bastard,"  
  
Zoro growled, but even he knew he was no match for this enemy. _Damn it! I need to get Nami to safety-- at least Nami--_  
  
"You bastard,"  
  
Nami echoed behind him, and ducked beneath Zoro's arm, obviously attempting an attack. Zoro grabbed the back of her shirt, which was difficult considering it was plastered to her skin from the rain, and yanked her backwards before throwing her behind him. Her pole clattered on the planks as he yelled,  
  
"Take Chopper and hide!!"  
  
"Wh-what?!"  
  
Nami glared at him through red-rimmed eyes, seeming more like herself, but her tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks, her breathing still filled with awkward swallows and breaths.  
  
"You heard me, just go somewhere else!!"  
  
Suddenly, a blast of electric-blue shot towards Zoro; he dodged the attack and moved in, the smell of singeing wood filling his nostrils as he did so. Darting forwards and pulling out his swords, he yelled,  
  
"DEMON CUT!!"  
  
He slashed his swords in an X, jerking his jaw to reinforce the slicing with the sword lodged in his teeth, but was promptly blasted back with the same invisible strength from before.  
  
Zoro cursed under his breath as he skid on the watery planks; then his eyes widened as a beam shot towards him. It didn't take twice thinking; he brought each sword in his hands to form a strong 'X' shape before slashing them downwards. He barely managed to do it in time; the beam stopped and disappated at the sudden, opposing rush of air.  
  
The man's eyes narrowed at the green-haired swordsman, who was breathing heavily and glaring right back at him. Zoro was so occupied in analysing what his next moves should be that he didn't realise Nami was a step ahead from being stopped. She was running full-speed towards the intruder, her eyes ablaze with anger and her voice rising to an inhuman pitch.  
  
"You @#$%ing _BASTARD!!!_"  
  
She swore, hatred ringing clearly in her voice, and she swung her pole over his head, harder than she ever had before -- to no avail. A bandaged fist caught the pole easily and brought it upwards and bringing Nami along with it. He jerked it aside, Nami letting out a short scream of surprise as he did so, then letting out a cry of pain as he grabbed a fistful of her hair. Her scalp burned despite the cold rain as her pole rolled away on the wooden floor, useless.  
  
"Damn it!!"  
  
Zoro yelled, running to attack him, but the intruder simply swung an arm at him. His bandanna ripped in the process of him skidding on the water-flogged planks, and Zoro coughed out blood from the impact of his ribs cracking on the floor. He turned to face the man, grappling for his swords, but his eyes widened as he realised it was too late.  
  
The intruder was forcing Nami's eyes to meet his, and an eerie smile spread on his features as he saw her red eyes, swollen from too much crying, her blotched cheeks, and her skin and hair soaked from both rain and tears. And with the same sinister smile, his eyes never leaving her face, he grabbed her throat with the other hand in a strangling grip. She raised her clenched fists and rammed useless punches into his arm, her legs flailing out in unreachable kicks. She let out a choked noise, her eyes filling once more with tears of defeat, and he whispered,  
  
"Farewell, babe."  
  
And he gave a sharp twist to her neck. A sound crack rang through the air like a gunshot, shortly followed by the thump and rustle of Nami's body hitting the floor lifelessly, her eyes blank and dripping with her last tears.  
  
"_Nami!!_"  
  
Zoro yelled, and stopped shortly when he saw her hand slowly uncurl from its determined fist to reveal a palm stained with Usopp's blood and the remains of Sanji's tie.  
  
_Damn it._  
  
Zoro's ribs were definitely fractured; a pain pulsated from his chest, and his throat burned from his blood.  
  
_Damn it..._  
  
"Come on, then,"  
  
Said the intruder with his strange, twisted smile,  
  
"Let's see what you've got."  
  
With a low growl, Zoro tightened his grip on his swords and glared at his enemy, feeling for the first time ever the fullest intent he'd ever felt to truly kill.  
  
Fully knowing, however, that he couldn't.  
  
_DAMN IT!_  
  
He brought his swords before him to form a vertical line before starting to spin them around. As they rapidly gained momentum, spinning faster and faster in his grasp, Zoro dashed forwards, his eyes burning with anger as he shouted,  
  
"THREE THOUSAND WORLDS!!"  
  
And executed the move flawlessly.  
  
Unfortunately, the enemy had disappeared by the time the three-sword sucession technique could even touch him.  
  
Zoro sensed the enemy's presence quite suddenly at his back. He could hear his heavy breathing, feel his putrid and dark aura.  
  
"Enough,"  
  
The intruder breathed lowly,  
  
"Die."  
  
Zoro spun around immediately, knowing that a swordsman should never get caught at the back. The intruder's amber eyes narrowed as he snapped angrily,  
  
"Why are you smiling?"  
  
Zoro didn't reply, but inside, he knew why. He had no regrets. He had failed to protect his closest friends. He had failed to upkeep his promise to Mihawk. Hell, he had even failed to perform his last move properly. But he knew there was nothing he could do about it. He had had a pretty good life until now; he had met some decent people out there, drank some of the best booze existing, and interacted with the weirdest enemies he could think of.   
  
So what if he was going to die? At least he _knew_ was going to die. He'd done his best to keep his promises, and he'd felt the thrill and exhillaration of keeping one - even if it meant death. Yep; he'd had it pretty good until now. It'd been fun. And if God meant for him to go now, then so be it.  
  
And it was with this thought he recieved a power-beam straight through the stomach, and another through his throat. Yet even as the blood spilled and white-hot pain coursed through him, a smile remained on his features. Zoro Roronoa was dead before his body hit the ground.  
  
The intruder narrowed his eyes, and gnashing his teeth angrily together, he left, forgetting about the pirate below deck.  
  
Rain battered down against the four bodies on deck, the blood not staining but washing against the planks with the rainwater. Miles below another body let go of life.  
  
The winds howled and rattled the ship; the sails flapped out of control; the wooden planks were soaked and slippery. Yet even as the ship sailed away from the storm and into a dry climate, free from rain and wind, the ship remained completely silent.  
  
  
  
  



	30. Longneeded Explanations

  
  
_What's this light? What happened to the pain -- to the blood-red waves of horrible darkness? What was that-- that tore through me-- ripped my soul out-- ripped her soul out--?!_  
  
"So you're awake now too, huh?"  
  
Zoro brought his dazed eyes to meet Sanji's, and felt a distinct discomfort in seeing his eyebrows without the curl. The cook was looking very grave, but not nearly as bad as Zoro was feeling... The green-haired swordsman shut his eyes and gave himself a mental shake. It helped; the empty feeling eased up a bit. So he opened his eyes again to scan the room.  
  
Nami was avoiding everyone's gaze, her eyes fixed at a wall. Her eyes looked red-rimmed, her cheeks stained. Her hair was out of its bun, and fell in loose half-curls that framed her face to her shoulders. It looked as awkward as Nami would have looked wearing a wig. Why hadn't he noticed how weird it had looked before?  
  
His eyes flickered over to Usopp. The Going Merry's sniper was looking shell-shocked. Zoro realised Usopp looked so much like his past self it didn't seem strange at all, other than the fact he wasn't wearing goggles but glasses. His usually bright and expressive eyes were shut down and listless now, however, lost in a chasm of thought, and Zoro quickly looked towards the boy who had awakened them.  
  
To his immense surprise, Kale was asleep.  
  
"He hasn't awoken yet."  
  
Zoro looked at Usopp in surprise, and the young engineer seemed to have picked himself up again. His eyes were still dull as he spoke his next words, however.  
  
"I don't know about Kale, but the rest of us woke up in the order... uhm... the order we died."  
  
Nami's hazel eyes flicked at Usopp, narrowed, but she did not say anything.  
  
Suddenly, Kale's eyes flew open and he let out in a small voice,  
  
"Wh-what mother @#$%ing shit."  
  
He closed his eyes, breathing in deep breaths, as though he had been running a marathon. Then he calmed down and opened his eyes to meet the rest.  
  
"Right,"  
  
He said, his voice more prompt and regular than his previous cursing,  
  
"I suppose you all get it now."  
  
They blinked, unsure of what they were supposed to get. Usopp spoke up uncertainly,  
  
"You mean, get how we died?"  
  
"_We_?"  
  
Zoro turned to the direction of the high-pitched, wavery voice. It was Nami, who was looking angrily at Usopp.  
  
"Why should we connect those people to us? They were in our past lives, weren't they?"  
  
"Nami, what on earth are you saying?! They _are_ us."  
  
Usopp said, shocked, when Nami let out a snort.  
  
"Are you kidding me? That girl who-- who looked like me -- she acted completely different. I never would have done that."  
  
"You mean... you don't believe?"  
  
Sanji asked, his eyes downcast as he spoke. Nami refused to meet his torn gaze as she snapped,  
  
"I don't see what there is to believe. Isn't it obvious they're-- I mean, this kid's just trying to make us believe something this dumb? It doesn't make any sense. Maybe it's some weird hypnotic psychological shit this kid's performed on us. I wouldn't know. But I do know I refuse to take part of this ridiculous--"  
  
What happened next was so unexpected no one realised it in time to stop him. Kale stood up, strode over to Nami-- then punched her over the head. She stopped, half-choking in mid-sentence, and Sanji's eyes glared into the angel.  
  
"What the hell was that for?!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Kale yelled so suddenly the cook silenced out of shock, then turned his irritated eyes to Nami's stubborn ones.  
  
"You moron! Who are you trying to kid?! For God's sake, listen to me. You really think I'm just here to snag a couple of random blokes? I thought you were supposed to be _smart_, Miss. Navigator."  
  
"Oi, oi,"  
  
Zoro said, his eyes darkening,  
  
"I wouldn't go over the line that far, if I was you."  
  
"Well you aren't,"  
  
Kale snapped,  
  
"And that's what I'm here for. I'm supposed to awaken you. God warned me you may not listen, and to bring along another angel, but nooooo, your captain just had to insist that you guys would be smart enough to realise without he--"  
  
"You met Luffy?!"  
  
Usopp exclaimed in surprise. Kale blinked, then groaned.  
  
"Yeah... it's not that simple, though. Right... let me start again."  
  
He flopped back into Sanji's desk chair before he started to speak.  
  
"What I meant to say before was I suppose that you all get how and why things are the way they are. Apparently not. So I'll explain for, if anything, Nami's trust."  
  
The navigator started to laugh when Kale snapped,  
  
"This would go a lot more quicker if you'd just get through your bloody denial."  
  
She shut up, glaring at him, and Kale ignored her as he continued,  
  
"Okay. Let's start with the one who died after the captain, eh?"  
  
Usopp winced.  
  
"Yeah, you. Usopp. You were heavily impacted at the face of death, quite obviously. You didn't fully accept your death when it happened. I think you were more in shock than anything else before you died. So in other words, you died with the lingering thought of 'why me? why now?'. You know, the 'I don't believe this' complex."  
  
Kale sighed, settling back in the chair as he went on,  
  
"So that's why you have a particular link with your past life. You even look a whole lot more like your past self. It's because you didn't let go of the past yet. So God has informed me that you'll either constantly be in depression and spaced out or have frequent dreams of your past self."  
  
Usopp's jaw dropped open.  
  
_...He had started having the strange dreams since primary school. At his younger age, he had dreams of a home with a set of parents in a place of green fields and trees, with blue skies. It was incredibly weird; he could remember every single detail of every dream he had, and it actually *made sense*. It was as though his dreams were of an alternate universe; another world with another life..._  
  
"Th-that's why I have those dreams?"  
  
He said, shocked.v   
"Oh, so you've got the dream thing, have you? Yeah, your mind is sub-conciously gripping onto memories and yanking them into your dreams. You've got a deep connection with your past self. I'm guessing all of you have had visions at least once or twice by now...?"  
  
Usopp nodded, but Nami was glaring at her hands, Sanji was giving her down-cast glances and Zoro was looking completely weirded out. Kale shook his head, sighing, but continued,  
  
"Well, you guys are gonna continue to get visions as you continue living, now that you've been Awakened. Usopp's gonna get the brunt of it since his visions are going to effect him badly. But I'm pretty sure Nami's gonna get problems with her visions, too. See, most of you will have had visions, but because you hadn't come into terms with your past-selves, you'd've forgotten what you'd just seen. It's a little hard to describe, but it's like something's missing, I should think...  
  
_ "But... then again... don't you ever get those moments where you feel like you've missed something? Like... you have remnants of something deep inside your mind... but when you start to draw it out, they disappear, and you feel like you were thinking of something you can't remember?"_  
  
_"I get what you mean,"  
Zoro intervened, his eyes slightly unfocused as he frowned in concentration. Nami blinked in surprise.  
"It happened to me several times during the dinner-dance..."  
"Same here!"  
Nami cried. Usopp sweatdropped.  
"I... just get them occasionally. Moments where I'm sure something happened, but..."  
"You can't remember what. That's what I mean."_  
  
"By any rate, Usopp is most likely gonna be the most affected from you guys should any visions come to him... particularly the memory where he dies.  
  
_ 'What am I doing here?'  
Usopp wondered in complete confusion. This wasn't normal... no, it wasn't only not normal-- panic seemed to fill him as he realised - everything around him - it wasn't-- it just wasn't -- RIGHT----_  
  
Usopp's heart clenched at the thought, and he pressed a hand to his ribs, momentarily locked in painful pressure. Seeing this, Kale seemed to remember something.  
  
"I nearly forgot. Chest pains and headaches. You guys might be getting that a lot, too - it's either that or spontaneous bursts of unreasonable hysteria in either laughter or tears. Don't ask about that. Anyhow, if you've experienced any pains in the heart or head in particular for no apparent reason, that'd be a psychological effect. Particularly if you have a painful or longing past-life memory, and if you are reminded of it unconciously, your body will react with pain temporarily.  
  
_...Usopp's heart was pounding loudly in his chest, his ribs aching and his throat throbbing, and his brought his eyes upwards. The girl turned to look in surprise at the sudden young man amidst all the ruckus. Her violet eyes widened, and she gasped as their eyes met in startling recognition. His glasses slipped down his nose as she stared at him. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, and a hand reached out towards him. He looked at her, and the pain in his chest disappated..._  
  
'...That was why it hurt, Kaya? ...Because I never got to tell you another story?'  
  
Usopp shut his eyes as he contemplated.  
  
Nami's eyes were strained as she bit her lip tightly. Kale noticed, and spoke in decidedly gentler tones next.  
  
"That's why Nami, who had still not 100% adjusted to the idea of friendship yet, went absolutely bonkers when the cook jumped in to save her. It was just too much for her; someone who truly cared about her had died in front of her again, and this time, she took it in to be entirely her fault.  
  
_...Nami's breath caught in her throat as Sanji's voice resounded behind her, the voice carrying familiarity that reached further than her mind and reached achingly deep..._  
  
"So Nami, you're probably reacting to Sanji with either major headaches and chest pains and an unexplained hatred, or you'll grow suicidal and teary for no reason around him.  
  
_Nami felt her chest contract painfully, and covered her cringe with a clearing of her throat, anguish filling her - almost burning her._  
  
"And you probably, being typically Nami, kept all of this to yourself and hid it with lies and acting. You're better at that than Usopp.  
  
_...Nami was very good at covering up what she really felt. She could conjure up words she didn't really mean very quickly, her tone and her attitude automatic in locking her character into what she was saying. Not even close friends could know what Nami really thought when she made a quick opinion up on the spot to cover up what she truly felt..._  
  
_..She tossed her hair back, an action most people she knew, including Vivi, took as an incredibly snobbish move.  
"I don't know how many girls have rejected you, but you can't be this desperate. Or dense."  
Snapping her head away, she turned to walk away, not needing to look to know his jaw had dropped. However, rather than the clearer feel of mind she had been expecting, she felt a lead-like heaviness drop in her stomach, a disturbing haze filling her head.  
'Wh-what? What's going on?'  
She thought, her vision going slightly dizzy. Her vision before her seemed misted, and she tried to shake her head to clear it. It only made it worse, and she could feel a cold and painful pin-like prickling at where her heart was..._  
  
"And you'll definitely hate the idea of him caring or liking you right now, simply because you're incredibly guilty. You probably don't know it, but you're thinking you don't deserve him - especially by what 'you did to him'."  
  
_...There was definitely something wrong between her and blonde, and she didn't know why, but it hurt. It hurt a lot. She didn't want to even think about him 'saving' her, let alone 'care' for her. She hid her pain with a glazed look..._  
  
_...There was a very long silence between the model and herself, and Nami realised with a start that people around her were trying not to stare. Probably thought it was a lover's spat. The thought made her feel worse, and she felt so sick she could retch all of a sudden..._  
  
_...Nami began to wonder if he really did like her, and if he really did not deserve all the words she hadn't even meant anyway, then gave herself mental slap for even thinking about it..._  
  
By now, Nami had grown rigid and stock-still as she absorbed each word Kale was feeding her with a growing, cold dread.  
  
'So... there was a reason...'  
  
"Nami-san..."  
  
Sanji said softly, and she snapped her head away from him, not wanting to face the cook for now. Kale decided to lay off her slightly for now, and went on,  
  
"So about the cook himself. Well, doubt you really accepted death yourself. Did the spontaneous act of pure love and will on a sweet whim. I'm not completely sure you knew what the outcome really meant, but the fact you might never see Nami again and then seeing her once more would have either conjured feelings of anguish and sorrow everytime you saw her, or the feelings you had when you first knew her in your past life. Either way works."  
  
_...He didn't know the girl at all, but he knew her name and for some reason was very attracted to the way she looked. Something looked a little... well, *off*, for some reason only God would know, but all the same just looking at the girl brought a smile to his face..._  
  
Sanji's eyes widened. Now he knew why he felt so good around the girl, despite how she had acted to him... Nami betrayed herself and sneaked a small glance at him. He was looking surprised and a little amazed. And she remembered...  
  
_...she saw a flicker of his face come into view - and it was an expression of pure bliss. She was used to it, as though she'd seen it many times before... which she hadn't..._  
  
_The way he was holding her hands and her hips made her feel lightweight and... how could she put it... precious? He seemed to be taking extra care not to touch her in any way that might hurt her - but the way he was carefully 'handling' her was strangely so familiar, but Nami couldn't place for the life of her when she had ever felt like this before..._  
  
He suddenly looked at her, and they stared at each other for a split second, sharing through their eye contact their confusion, their fears, their understandings... then Nami pulled away, and the connection disappeared. Sanji gave her a forlorn look which she pointedly ignored.  
  
"Knowing you are going to die is like shutting the book of your life down. If you have any memories you can't lose, you stick bookmarks in that your mind opens as visions later on. And if you did close your book -- which Usopp didn't, by the way -- then you look different now. It's like getting a new book. Or a new look! Ha ha ha!... ha..."  
  
The unappreciative glares caused Kale to sweatdrop.  
  
"Sorry. I just tried to brighten the mood in here, okay?! So Sanji, you look a little different, as does Nami. Nami's hair is longer, and she seems to be used to that. She may not exactly have wanted to die, but she was certainly anticipating it. So her hair remains long now, and Sanji's eyebrow has a certain lack of curl. Others may be have noticed these changes already - especially since you guys knew each other extremely well in your past lives..."  
  
_"Sanji-kun, what happened to your eyebrow?"_  
  
_"But for some really crazy reason, I seem to recall you having a curl at the end of your eyebrows. Did you shave it off or something?"_  
  
_"The end of his eyebrows... look like they lack a spiral. A curl. Whatever... something like that."_  
  
_"...she does seem a bit more... __recognisable_ today."  
"It's her hair,"  
Zoro said firmly,  
"It's how it's all tied back."  
  
Unconciously, Sanji's knuckles pressed against the ends of his eyebrows as Nami thread her fingers through her hair. Zoro blinked at the silence that had somehow cascaded.  
  
"Uhm, what about me? Anything new about me?"  
  
He asked, not expecting much more talk, when Kale burst out laughing.  
  
"You're the _most_ changed,"  
  
He declared with a grin,  
  
"Though I doubt your sleeping habits have grown any better."  
  
_"Awards?"  
Zoro asked, his heart sinking. He didn't want to listen to anything after this - he wanted to go up and collapse on his hammock...? Huh? Now where did that come from, Zoro wondered._  
  
_"But he's sleeping half the time,"  
Nami said,  
"He's always relaxed."_  
  
"There's nothing wrong with sleeping."   
Zoro  
retorted, deciding not to follow the denying approach. Kale snorted.  
  
"Whatever. The thing is, Zoro, you died in a very different way to the others. You completely accepted the idea of death and even embraced it. You took it into stride. In fact, coming here you probably could have started a whole new life as a completely peaceful tree.   
  
"But there are just two things in particular that stopped you from doing that. Those two things are the very essence of your meaning in life, which is why you couldn't let go of it completely. But you did allow your past life to not disturb you, so your personality has changed. You're a lot calmer than you once were and a lot -- er, -- smoother.  
  
_ ...He was had a very withdrawn personality, all because of this strange feeling in him. He felt as though he had lost his confidence somehow, though he had no idea when because his mother had told him he had always been quiet..._  
  
"The first thing you never got to accomplish in your previous life that basically meant everything to you was your swordsmanship. Unfortunately you can't be born with it on Earth... well, I guess you sort of did, you couldn't Awaken it until the trigger occured..."  
  
_...The problem was, he didn't like being quiet. But he felt strangely... how could he describe it? ...Defenceless? It was a strange way to express his quiet nature, but that was the only way he could describe it..._  
  
"Trigger?"  
  
Zoro repeated.  
  
"Yep. The moment a certain student joined this university, the Awakening was triggered.  
  
_He began to trudge up the stairs, stuffing his bandanna into his pocket when the feeling of anticipation quite suddenly drained out of him, startling him because he hadn't known he'd still had that feeling.  
Turning around, he noticed that the orange-haired girl and the long-nosed guy were gone from sight. Then he wondered why he'd turned around in first place.  
  
He turned around to notice the girl from before - the orange-haired girl he had seen on the stairs. Her long, orange hair was tied in a quick knot at the back of her neck, and she was chatting animatedly with a blue-haired girl next to her. Zoro was momentarily struck with a numbing sense of...  
'Of what?'  
He wondered._  
  
"Because then all the 'participants' were in range of each other. Well, something like that. The key was basically recognition and familiarity. These two things allowed you guys to talk to each, grow closer to one another. Though Nami and Usopp share a special bond, and are friends anyways. They always shared a bond, and that was especially intensified when Usopp died."  
  
Nami and Usopp exchanged looks of surprise as Zoro looked thoughtful. Kale continued,  
  
"So Zoro, about your swordsmanship. Have you Awoken any of your skills yet?"  
  
"Er..."  
  
_...The familiarity that was coursing through him was alarming, and his eyes stared his fingers curled around the metal in curiousity. He had never learnt any sort of self-defense in his life, yet just now, he had performed what looked like a common defense move with the Two Sword Style Technique... he blinked. Two Sword what? Where on earth had that come from?  
Something was running through him now, however; something Zoro did not know yet recognised. He hadn't known how to hold the broom handle, yet with the metal bars he had somehow awakened some sort of knowledge in him - no, it was more of some sort of reflex - that knew how to grip properly. Had it been the panic? He didn't know, but something was stirring in him; something enormous was fighting to be let out, desperately wanting to be acknowledged -..._  
  
"You haven't?! Sanji's kicking talent, Nami's bo skills and Usopp's sniper shot - have none of you discovered these talents yet?!"  
  
_...With a frustrated growl, his brain switched into reflex mode. Seven bikers running towards him to a point just in front of him; three to the left, four to the right. Without much thought, Sanji flipped himself onto his hands and brought his legs up before jerking them into a split. His arms working a momentum, he swung his legs round in a clean, sweeping movement, and his legs kicked out where he calculated jaws to be. Within seconds, Sanji was back to his feet and dashing for the gap while seven men crumpled to the floor, wheezing in pain..._  
  
"Uh..."  
  
_...she scooped up the metal bar with her left hand. Holding it in a grip, she turned back to face the yell of the blue-head, when a jolt ran through her. A jolt of familiarity.  
'That's strange,'  
Nami thought as her fingers curled around the bar in a position she knew but did not remember,  
'Why do I feel like I've held this before...?'_  
  
"Well... I have.... sort of."  
  
Nami said slowly, and Sanji and Zoro agreed in unison,  
  
"Yep."  
  
Usopp had a sweatdrop as he admitted,  
  
"Uhm, I haven't."  
  
"Really? You should try your talent out sometime. You could shoot an ant off a building three blocks away. By any rate, this is good. I'll explain in a minute. So Zoro, quite finally, I'm sure you know who I'm talking about when I say _she_ is the second reason why you've chosen to stick to life. Part of her soul is in you."  
  
_...He looked at the girl before him again. He had just recognised her for a split second; he was sure of it... but right now, all he knew was that she looked familiar..._  
  
Zoro nodded slowly, trying not to let his head hang in thoughts of what had happened in the confrontation back at the library... Usopp and Sanji cast him curious glances, but he took no notice of them.  
  
"Basically,"  
  
Kale said, leaning forward to them with a new glint in his eye,  
  
"You're all part of something big. Something huge. All of you - particularly through certain personality changes - have had brief touches and talks that involve other souls that have come here.  
  
_'I don't think the green-haired twerp gets it, but we're linked somehow. I don't really know how, but we definitely knew each other some time...'  
  
"You can keep to yourself you stupid cook."  
  
"What's wrong, Na-chan?"  
  
Nami felt very comfortable with the newbie. Strangely enough.  
  
"Oh really, Usopp? Guess what? I think I'm seeing someone I know right now."  
  
"Uh-- I-- uhm-- I d-donno whaj-just happened,"  
  
"It's j-just that...uh... I mean... you look... very familiar today..."  
  
...Shock impended on all of them as they saw that there was recognition amongst them, recollections of unknown memories, familarity beyond grasp. But most of all, the greatest shock was the fact that they realised they definitely knew each other without mistake..._  
  
"You've died unnecessary deaths and survived the inbalance in your lives uptil now. Most importantly... because all of you have the strength to overcome this pain and trouble, God selected you to have the choice of saving your dimension or not. There are hundreds and thousands of people around this dimension who feel the same unease, the same confusion. You have the ability to end it."  
  
"...How?"  
  
Sanji asked.  
  
"It's not simple. It's impossible to eradicate the dimension from the devil's intervention. So instead, God will bring you to your last day on the Going Merry. It's up to you guys to change fate, however."  
  
"You mean... we'll return to the time we died??"  
  
Usopp squawked, his eyes bugging out.  
  
"Yep."  
  
Kale said with a grin.  
  
"Uhm... I think we need Luffy's help, then."  
  
Nami said quietly. The guys looked at her, surprised she had spoken, when Kale replied,  
  
"Didn't you think it was pretty pathetic how he died, though?"  
  
At this, all of their eyes darkened considerably as they glared angrily at the angel.  
  
"Who the hell are you to judge that?!"  
  
Usopp seethed as Zoro narrowed his eyes.  
  
"It was bad luck the railings were slippery,"  
  
The green-head muttered.  
  
"If he hadn't been thrown off, he would have Gomu Gomu Bazooka-ed the bloody murderer off the ship."  
  
Nami retorted.  
  
"If he knew how to swim, we wouldn't be here,"  
  
Sanji said irritatedly.  
  
Kale blinked, surprised at the intensity of their glaring at him. Then he cast his eyes down, sighing softly.  
  
"You know,"  
  
He said quietly, silencing their building protests at the sudden change in tone and volume,  
  
"That fool of a captain you have is a complete idiot? And he's psycho too. Has no idea what the impact of his deeds are. Plus I've never met a denser moron. He's thicker than a brick. And he's cocky. Man, he's cocky."  
  
"He's a pirate."  
  
Usopp said resolutely.  
  
"And we knew all of that anyways."  
  
Sanji added. Kale shook his head.  
  
"That's not what I'm referring to,"  
  
He said dryly,  
  
"I'm trying to say... well, when I first got the assignment, I heard his stats and refused to let him take control. I mean, you've got to be kidding - thick, idiotic and bonkers. Why bother trying to save his dimension? His dimension's probably better off frozen than with him in it.  
  
"He begged me to give him a little control one day when we got to see the sea, though. He's a pirate, right? He deserves that much, I thought. So I relented. Then the bloody idiot goes and drowns himself. At age five, see? So God had to re-incarnate him all over again. That's why this body's twelve when it should really be seventeen years old.  
  
"I didn't want to let this guy take control ever again. Honestly - how dumb can you get? It took him long enough to finally get the idea and stop asking me if he could take over the body. But you know... I just saw how he died. It was pathetic, to tell you the truth. I was scoffing at him the entire time we were sinking under. Then, without warning, the weirdo starts _grinning._  
  
"I couldn't understand how the hell he could grin. I mean, his friends could be - and were - dying up there. No one was coming to save him. He was going to die with water-clogged lungs. No one would remember him. I thought he was really stupid, until I heard his thoughts.  
  
_'It's too bad I slipped off. But my friends... as long as my friends are okay. I took them here, after all. But I trust they're alright. I trust them.'_  
  
"I didn't understand how he could think that. And he didn't think anything else, and when he died... he was grinning. _Smiling._ And... I've never felt more respect for a human in my life."  
  
Kale raised his eyes to meet the others. They were staring at him.   
  
"You mean..."  
  
Zoro started, his eyes round with shock.  
  
"I guess,"  
  
Kale said loudly, looking at them an all-too familiar grin,  
  
"It's about time I give Monkey D. Luffy another chance."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Thanks for bearing with me uptil now. *bows* You guys are the best. ^.^ Just a note to Roz-san -- I can't post up OP NGs! XP Against the rules here. But thank you for your kind comments. I thank EVERYONE for their reviews. You guys are the best!!!! *huggles* I read each one and process each idea and interpretation. Uhmm... sorry this chapter came a little late. I've got exams coming up soon... and I'll probably fork a lot of my fanfiction writing and doodling time to revision. So... don't expect an update too soon, I guess. Gomen ne... and a very, very big arigatou gozaimasu. ^^***


	31. Back in the Saddle

  
  
_Oi.  
  
Huh? Me?  
  
No, the brain cell next door. No **duh** I'm talking to you. Who **else** would I be talking to inside your head?!  
  
Oh, sorry... I was taking a nap.  
  
Oh, so you were taking a na-- WHAT?!! Are you an IDIO-- dumb question. Never mind.  
  
Why? Is something wrong?  
  
Your crew wants to see you.  
  
...What? You mean-- OH MY GOD!!  
  
Hey, no using His name in vain!!  
  
Sorry-- but-- OHMIGOD!! No-- sorry, I meant OHMIGOSH OHMIGOSH OMIGOSH --  
  
SHUT UP!!!  
  
They're there! They're all there!!  
  
As has been the case for the **PAST HOUR**.  
  
They want to see me??  
  
Yeah. You can take over for a while.  
  
...Really?  
  
Whoa, what happened? You sound so worried.  
  
Nah... I'm fine. Thanks!  
  
I'm taking a nap now, so the body's all yours for a while.  
  
Thanks again, Kale.  
  
Eh, no problem... captain._  
  
  
  
  
  
Luffy's eyes snapped open, and they widened considerably as he stared at his friends sitting around him, looking at him nervously and expectantly. His friends -- his _partners_ -- he hadn't seen them in seventeen years!  
  
"Zoro!! Nami!! Usopp, Sanji!! Wow!! I didn't think I'd see you for a while!!"  
  
He bubbled out excitedly, his hand automatically reaching for his head to clutch his hat... which wasn't there. He ended up patting his head and feeling a bit empty. _Ah well._ Luffy grinned at them happily, then noticed all their jaws had hit the ground.  
  
"Huh? What's wrong?"  
  
He asked, wondering if they were thinking how dumb it was for him to feel for his straw-hat. Damn, he missed his hat.  
  
"You utterly brainless moron!!"  
  
Nami blurted out, and Luffy blinked as she continued in an outraged manner,  
  
"What on earth inspired you to go drown yourself in the sea?!"  
  
"Wha?"  
  
He racked his brain for a memory as to when this happened, and said confusedly,  
  
"But you know I don't know how to swim, and that guy just threw me overboard..."  
  
"_No!!_ She's talking about when you were five years old in _this_ life!"  
  
"Oh!"  
  
Luffy exclaimed, laughing as he remembered Kale screaming at him afterwards for hours on end,  
  
"That was an accident! I saw something shiny bobbing and I started to walk to it but I forgot I wasn't 172 centimeters tall anymore so I ended up drowning! Hahaha!"  
  
He was promptly decked by Zoro, who looked irritatedly at his crazy captain.  
  
"That's not remotely funny at all."  
  
"Really? Aww, you're all like Kale. I thought it was funny."  
  
"Dying isn't funny!"  
  
Usopp said with a sweatdrop, and Luffy sighed.  
  
"Fine, you win."  
  
"But there was nothing to win about in the first place,"  
  
Sanji started to say, when Luffy took one look at him and let out a blood-curdling scream.  
  
"Wh-wh-what?!"  
  
Sanji stammered, his heart pounding from shock as the other crew-members exchanged assorted glances while backing away from the cook confusedly. Luffy couldn't believe his eyes, and pointing a deadly finger at Sanji proclaimed,  
  
"You're an _imposer_!!"  
  
There was a stunned silence. Then Zoro muttered,  
  
"You mean imposter."  
  
"Whatever! Same thing!!"  
  
"What are you talking about?!"  
  
Sanji demanded.  
  
"You think I can't see it? Well, let me reveal your secret to everyone!! Look carefully! Sanji's eyebrow is... _not curled_!!"  
  
Luffy said dramatically. Everybody face-faulted.  
  
"The hell?! You thought we wouldn't notice that sooner?!"  
  
"Huh? You mean you noticed already?"  
  
Usopp gave up and rested his head in his hands.  
  
"Uhm, Luffy, everyone's changed in their new life,"  
  
Nami started to explain, when Luffy's eyes bugged out as he grabbed at her hair,  
  
"Wow, Nami!! Is this a wig?"  
  
"OUCH!! No, it's not-- that hurts-- LET GO YOU IDIOT!!"  
  
She yelled, punching him aside.  
  
"Oof! Okay, so you're Nami. But Sanji... your eyebrow... it was so cool and now it's gone..."  
  
Luffy began crying, bewildering Sanji.  
  
"Uhhh... I'm sure it'll, uhm, grow back soon,"  
  
He said, and Luffy brightened up immediately,  
  
"That's good! But why does Zoro and Usopp look normal?"  
  
A vein popped on Sanji's head.  
  
"Are you implying Nami-san is _not_ normal?"  
  
Sanji asked, his glaring eyes boring into Luffy's head.  
  
"Hmm... yeah!"  
  
Luffy agreed, and earned a flying kick across the jaw as Sanji snarled,  
  
"Don't you _dare_ insult Nami-san!!"  
  
Luffy landed with a painful sounding crack onto Usopp. Then he sat up and yelled,  
  
"_Hey!!_ Just because I'm in a kid's body doesn't mean you can hit me!!"  
  
And he ran in and gave a surprisingly forceful and well-aimed punch to Sanji's face. Another vein popped on the blonde's head.  
  
"Why, you stupid dumbass--!!"  
  
Within seconds the two were in a full-fledged fight with Zoro occasionally inserting helpful comments like 'Sanji's free to the left!' and such. Usopp mumbled,  
  
"Doesn't Sanji always hit Luffy regardless of his form anyways?"  
  
"Uhm... yeah."  
  
Nami said a little distantly. Usopp looked at Nami, hearing the strange tone of listlessness in her voice, and saw that she looked troubled despite having seen Luffy.  
  
"Na-chan?"  
  
Usopp began uncertainly, when a mis-judged punch his head and bowled him over. He propped himself up on his elbows, his glasses crookedly astray on his nose as he gave a sharp glare at the scuffling duo. Well, trio now that Zoro had joined in, though Usopp had no idea when.  
  
"You stupid swordsman!!"  
  
"Dumbass cook!!"  
  
They stopped in a muffled shout as Usopp threw pillows at them, yelling,  
  
"Shut up and stop fighting, you idiots!!"  
  
He received two pillows back to the face with staggering force.  
  
"_You_ shut up, long-nose! Don't interrupt a _man_'s fight!"  
  
"What are you implying about me?!!"  
  
Usopp demanded with a yell, and promptly entered the ruckus with the addition of Zoro's and Sanji's pillows. Within seconds feathers littered the floor and the four males were tumbling over the floor as they ferociously fought.  
  
Nami began to get a very familiar headache that had nothing to do with Awakening.  
  
And as the irritation continued to grind at her, Nami felt something distinctly... wrong with herself. She didn't feel very good.  
  
However, she didn't voice it, and watched amusedly as Luffy energetically pulled Zoro's earrings, only to have his cheeks yanked.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Gin?"  
  
Gin turned around to see his leader peering at him from the garage entrance, looking somewhat suspicious.  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Just a short walk, Captain. I won't be long."  
  
Krieg's eyes narrowed.  
  
"You _are_ informed that we have a meeting tomorrow at midnight?"  
  
Gin felt his chest clench at the reminder, and he nodded.  
  
"Of course, Captain Krieg. Of course."  
  
Don Krieg shot a piercing glare at Gin, and didn't like what he saw.  
  
"Don't do anything crazy, now."  
  
He said. Gin suppressed a snort.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
He left, feeling Krieg's eyes burn into the back of his neck all the way until he walked out of sight.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaya tried dialing again to no avail. His phone continued to relay a 'busy' message that asked her to leave one herself.  
  
She flopped onto her bed, dropping the phone and pressed her cheek onto a soft pillow. She knew she was beeing a nuisance, but she couldn't help it; she wanted to talk to Usopp about how she felt. She didn't want to ask Merii, and she didn't have any friends she could talk to about Kurohadol...  
  
Something about their meeting today had seemed weird and almost sinister. There was, quite strangely, a very strong sense of deja vu... She didn't like how she felt at all...  
  
"Usopp-san, why don't you pick up the phone?"  
  
She asked her pillow forlornly, and started to cough. The pains in her chest made her stand and walk down the stairs to get some pills.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tashigi still couldn't believe it. She was in her bed, the blankets tucked up to her chin over her flannels with only a sliver of moonlight resting on the wall, and she still couldn't sleep.  
  
_ Zoro closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them to meet Tashigi's eyes properly.  
  
  
"Have you ever felt like... we've met each other before?"  
  
Tashigi blinked.  
  
"Uhm... what do you mean?"_  
  
She still couldn't believe it. She felt she should have realised it sooner, but still, it was too much for her to absorb that easily.  
  
_"I don't know, truthfully. But... don't you feel like something's strangely... **familiar** between us?"  
  
At this, Tashigi visibly paled.  
  
"....Sorry?"  
  
She whispered. He returned to his Physics notes as he spoke, shuffling them into some sort of order as he muttered,  
  
"It's nothing. Never mind."_  
  
But how is this possible? Tashigi wondered as she rolled over to one side. How is it possible for this to happen?  
  
_"You don't mean to say... that you feel it too? Like we've met once before, but not in youth... in another place? Like you know me more than you think you should?"  
  
Zoro's eyes widened as he stared at Tashigi.  
  
"Yeah! You mean... you feel it too?"  
  
He was startled as she stood up abruptly, gathering her books, papers and stationary before marching out of the library. He crammed his things into his bag before following.  
  
"Oi, wait up!"  
  
She didn't reply, and Zoro was forced to follow her quickening pace all the way back to the dormitories.  
  
"What's the rush?"  
  
He asked confusedly, and reached out a hand to grasp at her shoulder to turn her around. She slapped his hand back aggressively, and he saw with surprise her eyes frosty and angered. He opened his mouth to speak, when Tashigi shook her head sharply.  
  
He saw her eyes fill with tears.  
  
"Tashigi?"  
  
He asked questioningly. Without another word, she unlocked her room, stepped inside and turned to shut the door.  
  
Zoro caught sight of a tear running past a cheek before the door slammed in his face._  
  
Tashigi hit herself over the head as she felt her eyes fill with tears again.  
  
_"Tashigi?"_  
  
Damn he sounded concerned! But this was absurd. It was ridiculous. How was this possible??  
  
"Why do people keep doing this to me?"  
  
She mumbled, drying her eyes with her sheets,  
  
"Why do I keep getting fooled? No one in their right minds would like me for who I was..."  
  
Tashigi didn't fall asleep until dawn, the same question continuing to circle her mind and dumbfound her.  
  
_Why the hell is Zoro attracted to me **exactly** the way Smoker was?_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Yay. Another boring chapter, so to speak, but it helps me to set what's going to happen next. This is the end of the first 'saga' if you would ike to call it that, focused on the Awakening. Now that the Awakening Arc is done, I can move onto completing plot-points that have progressed over the first saga and also start on something that involves a _lot_ of things. I need to get cracking now... And here's something scary: **I'm only halfway through!** Oh well. I thank you dearly for your kind reviews; it's one thing to write something and post it and hope people read it, and another to have people tell you they've read it and what they think. You're all the sweetest. ^.^*  
  
Cripes! How long can one day last?  
  



	32. Chocolate Puffs

  
  
Sanji raised his eyebrows as he ran the razor past his chin in smooth strokes, his eyes in the mirror not concentrating on his face but the child behind him.  
  
"_That's_ how you've been living? You're a street-kid without a home?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
Luffy, or rather, Kale said distractedly from studying the back of a cereal-box while chomping away at the chocolate puffs,  
  
"But I'm different because I have money."  
  
"How on earth would you have money?"  
  
Zoro asked, finishing his second piece of toast and reaching for a third.  
  
"Stop eating up all the bread!"  
  
Sanji snapped, snatching the pile of toast Zoro had somehow managed to accumulate. The model glared at the burnt, crisp edges of crust while Zoro slathered an untoasted slice of loaf with blueberry jam, completely ignoring Sanji's eyes burning into the side of his head.  
  
"I have this RLB card to extract money from this account God conjured,"  
  
Kale said, pulling out a Red Line Bank card from his jumper pocket as he crunched away at his cereal,  
  
"It hasn't got much but it's enough to keep me going."  
  
"So you can stay in motels and places like that?"  
  
Sanji asked as he lay slices of ham onto some toast and handed it to the boy. Kale eagerly stuffed the food into his mouth, and immediately made Zoro and Sanji cringe at the fact he had still been chewing chocolate cereal when he had done so. He shook his head vigorously, spraying crumbs everywhere.  
  
"I would prefer motels, but your captain likes the outside. It's more like your world, then, see? But I hope you don't mind if I stay in here. I'll be good, and I won't get you into trouble. At least, I'll try to keep your captain in check and I won't get you into trouble. I think."  
  
Sanji sighed as he sat back in his chair, leaning on his arms behind his neck as he wondered out loud,  
  
"We don't give a damn whether you stay or not, so long you don't get caught. And I can't seem to remember our world that well. I mean, I remember the people, but... the world itself..."  
  
"I think I remember more than you,"  
  
Zoro said as he swallowed the last of his breakfast and walked over to his bed and started packing books into his backpack,  
  
"I mean... I remember all the hammocks and the way the boat would bob beneath and stuff like that."  
  
Sanji rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, you _would_ only know the hammocks, person-who-sleeps-half-the-time."  
  
Zoro opened his mouth to retort when a slightly surprised and thoughtful tone cut in,  
  
"But that's so vague."  
  
Sanji and Zoro blinked and looked at the change in attitude of the young boy. He didn't sound like the mature kid before, but more like...  
  
"...Luffy?"  
  
Zoro prompted a little hesitantly. The boy nodded, his face pinched in a frown.  
  
"I mean, can't you remember the air? The weather would always change, but the air wouldn't."  
  
He set down the cereal box, his eyes bright as he spoke.  
  
"The smell of the air wouldn't, anyways. And the wood was pretty soft for a ship. Not the usual hard stuff. And we'd fish sometimes and get bucketfuls which Sanji would make big dishes with. That was always delicious! Never as good as good ol' meat, though... Oh, and the wind on my favourite spot was always great. And our clothes were much better. I mean, there weren't loads of brands, besides that Doskoi Panda thing Nami would always buy, but our _own_ clothes..."  
  
Half an hour later, Zoro and Sanji were late to Physics and Literature respectively but neither made an effort to move away from the mesmerising memories of a very animated Monkey D. Luffy.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey."  
  
Tashigi lifted her swollen eyes to meet Jenna's, and rolling her own she continued to walk past her. Jenna's coated fingernails dug into her shoulder and pushed her back, her lip curling into a half-snarl, half-smirk as she looked at Tashigi.  
  
"Didn't you hear me, raven?"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
Tashigi asked dully. She was much too tired and depressed to want to bother listening to Jenna, but the Bitches hadn't chased her into a bathroom ever since the dinner-dance. Maybe she wants to say something that makes sense, Tashigi thought, then mentally snorted. Wishful thinking.  
  
"It's just that we haven't seen each other lately,"  
  
Jenna said, her eyes searching Tashigi's face,  
  
"And I was wondering how things are going about with you these days."  
  
Tashigi shrugged Jenna's hand off her shoulder, throwing her a look of irritation and suspicion.  
  
"What the hell are you getting at?"  
  
She asked, her tired eyes narrowing behind her thick glasses. Jenna's eyes flashed in surprise and anger at the sign of defiance but she kept her strange half-smile and half-frown on as she said softly,  
  
"Fine. I guess there's no point playing around with you anymore."  
  
Jenna's eyes darted around the area behind Tashigi, as though to make sure no one was there before she dropped her voice several notches and muttered,  
  
"What's going on with you and Roronoah?"  
  
A pain rang through Tashigi's mind at the mention of his name and she took an involuntary step back from Jenna.  
  
"Get a grip."  
  
She snapped, and re-adjusting her bag strap and pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose, Tashigi brushed roughly past Jenna. Jenna's eyes followed her, and was about to look away when she saw a flash of Zoro's blue bandanna.  
  
She continued to watch, and saw Zoro say something. Tashigi did not do anything in reaction to him and walked briskly into a lecture hall to her left, leaving Zoro to look confusedly after her. Jenna's lips curled once more, and this time, it was definitely a smirk.  
  
'So,'  
  
Jenna thought satisfiedly as she walked down the hall,  
  
'My plan's going straight into action, after all.'  
  
  
  
  
  
The repaired clock on the wall of the garage ticked, and the second-hand slowly clicked another minute of precious time away.  
  
"Where the hell is he?"  
  
He snarled at Krieg, who looked back at him with a re-assuring air to his smile.  
  
"He'll be here soon. No need to get antsy."  
  
"He's _four friggin' hours late_, and you tell me not to get antsy. The hell with it, Krieg, I'm _beyond_ 'antsy' by now!!"  
  
"Calm down, Arlong,"  
  
One of the men by him said hastily while another set a hand on Arlong's rising form and pushed him back into the chair, consoling,  
  
"Just wait a few more minutes, _chuu_."  
  
Arlong was letting out a very low and angered growl when Gin finally stepped in.  
  
"Where the @#$% were you?!!"  
  
Krieg hissed, glaring at the slouched form of his gang's vice-captain, but noticing Arlong's gaze on them shifted his gritted teeth into a grin.  
  
"So what's the news?"  
  
The dark shadows beneath Gin's eyes seemed to darken further as he scanned the room, but his voice came as normal.  
  
"He agreed to do it under a 35% cut."  
  
"_WHAT?!!_ That mother-@#$%ing baboon, I'll tear his--"  
  
"Shut up,"  
  
Arlong snapped, and brought his slit-like eyes to hover over Gin with barely disguised annoyance and anger.  
  
"Did it not occur to you how _ludicrous_ that demand sounds?"  
  
He asked slowly. Gin's eyes narrowed beneath the blue and white striped band as he answered,  
  
"It took me four hours to bring a fifty-percent deal to thirty-five. Says he's got too many men."  
  
"Thirty-five percent."  
  
Krieg muttered, his hands pressing into his eyes threatening to poke through his eye sockets,  
  
"That's a lot. Gin, is it impossible to go any lower?"  
  
_No,_ Gin said mentally, thinking of something entirely different, but out loud answered,  
  
"He wanted to see someone with more authority for further negotiation."  
  
"Great,"  
  
Arlong said as enormous relief flitted past Krieg's eyes,  
  
"That's somewhat a relief. When?"  
  
"Tuesday, 3 PM."  
  
Gin replied, and felt his insides twist as he saw Krieg smile widely at Arlong's spreading smirk in a simpering manner.  
  
_Captain Don Krieg...._  
  
  
  
  
  
Nami popped another pain-killer in her mouth, downed it with orange juice, and massaging her temples she leant back on her bedspread, sighing.  
  
_"Why are you yelling out stupid and unnecessary things when I can sense a storm coming? If you don't help out, we're going to be in a lot of hell!"_  
  
She really didn't feel up to going to class, let alone meet up with the gang later on. In fact, she didn't feel like doing anything at all.  
  
_Icy sheets of rain pelting down onto the deck, rainwater sloshing into her boots, soaking her clothes, her skin--_  
  
The moment her head had touched the pillow last night, she knew it was going to be a restless night.  
  
_"Hey!! Usopp, are you alive?!"_  
  
After an hour of tossing and turning she finally dragged herself out of bed to grab some sleeping pills, and finally fell into a deep sleep.  
  
_Blood... so much blood. She'd never seen so much before. It lapped almost innocently against her knees and hands with the rainwater, staining her hands with an unforgettable crimson--_  
  
But it hadn't exactly been peaceful.  
  
_ "You idiot," -- eyes stinging sharply from wind and tears -- "You're not going to die--"_  
  
The unwanted images flashed by her eyes, and Nami's eyes shot open in effort to release herself from the grip of terror that filled her every time she thought of their final day in their previous lives.  
  
_It happened so quick. Too quick. One minute he's smiling at me as usual, same smile he wears when he's pouring me iced tea or pulling out a chair for me, and the next minute--_  
  
Her heart wrenched, and she rolled over to her side and curled up, a hand pressed hard to her chest as though to push the pain down, bury it away...  
  
_He's gone._  
  
Her eyes filled with tears, and she quickly got up to blot the gathering tears with a tissue, and tried to make herself think of other things. Like her paper for Geography...  
  
_ "Z-Zoro-- Sanj-ji-k-kun, he-- he's-- g-g-**gone--**"_  
  
A rush of colour--  
  
_Rain, drenching to the core, rough hands grabbing, skin prickling--_  
  
--a pain and fear clawing from her very soul--  
  
_Fiercely cold eyes, cruelly cold and calculating yet dangerously reckless--_  
  
Nami gasped, scrunching the tissue in her fist and letting out a tiny, incomprehensible noise of extreme pain and confusion--  
  
_Furtive glances, blurs of grey, black, brown-- amber--_  
  
_Pain, icy fear-- **despair**--_  
  
_ "Farewell, babe."_  
  
A crack fractured her mental hearing and Nami grasped at her throat, choking on a hiccough. Eventually, the pounding images died away, the howling wind and echoes of the finality of _his_ voice gradually muting as the clenching of her chest slowly lifted. Then Nami forced herself to drink more water and stare out of the sunny window, concentrating on the cheerful whistling of a bird outside.  
  
But like a television that hadn't been switched off yet, Nami could still sense the remnants of the dream and past life haunting the back of her mind. It was muted for now, but anytime soon it would return full blast... she could feel it coming, like the weather.  
  
She'd woken up that morning with a headache the size of the Going Merry and she wasn't really pleased about the way her lips were pulled in a constant grimace. Something was bothering her, something deep and nagging that just wouldn't go away. It was something that hurt.  
  
And it wasn't just the psychological, funny feeling at her neck. There was something else scraping away at the confines of her mind, grinding and clawing...  
  
She set the back of her hand on her forehead, fervently wishing for the rising pain to ebb away, but only felt it intensify. She groaned.  
  
"Still got a headache?"  
  
Vivi asked as she emerged from the bathroom, running a brush through her hair and completely oblivious to Nami's slightly pink eyes and curled upper-lip.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She said vaguely, looking at her bedspread and hoping Vivi wouldn't notice.  
  
"No surprise. I can't believe you got here without getting caught, and that midnight excursion was bound to give you stress."  
  
Vivi said with a lacing of amusement. Nami forced a small laugh, mentally frowning. Was it really the creeping back to her dorm that was making this headache? She wished that was the case, but lately, nothing was that simply.  
  
There was something strangely strongly yearning in her headache, but she wasn't exactly aware of what...  
  
Sighing again, Nami turned over onto her stomach and cradled her cell-phone in one hand, the other still rubbing her head.  
  
'Perhaps an ice-cream with Usopp might help...'  
  
She rubbed a thumb thoughtfully across the smooth buttons of her phone as she mused inwardly,  
  
'Then he can pay for what he made me pay for last time, and we can go to the meeting after together...'  
  
For the first time since the morning started Nami felt a tiny smile lift her cheeks.  
  
'Yes, free ice-cream _does_ sound good...'  
  
  
  
  
  
"You need _how_ much more?"  
  
Krow said in disbelief into his cell-phone, his brows knotting as he heard Krieg's voice repeat slowly and deliberately,  
  
"Four hundred thousand more. C'mon, Krow, this oughta be easy for you."  
  
"I'd have to sell over a third of my company to get that, Krieg,"  
  
He snapped irritably, but was cut off by a harsh laugh at the other end of the line.  
  
"I'm not an idiot. I know about your place in Flint's will to get the Storm land. I know how much that's worth."  
  
"Look, I don't think you know how Feline Incorporates is faring lately,"  
  
Krow snarled as he shoved his glasses into the bridge of his nose using his palm,  
  
"Share prices have plummeted while Morgan Industries have had theirs sky-rocket ever since they began their best value campaign, and--"  
  
"The Storm land is known to be rich in good soil and easy access to clean water. 10,523 acres, Krow! No doubt the government would buy it off you for a couple million dollars for a friggin' nature park of some sort..."  
  
"It's not like I don't know that, but there's something going on about there being _another will_,"  
  
Krow muttered,  
  
"And I think Cheryl Maine's getting uneasy or something. Uncertain as whether to let me have the full responsibility--"  
  
"Didn't you get a contract of responsibility or something signed? Besides, where the hell would another will pop up from?"  
  
"The contract is invalid if a more recent will is found, _obviously_. And the other will is said to be with--"  
  
As Krow turned the corner, what he had thought to be a completely empty area was occupied with one young man absent-mindedly studying his shoes and standing still. He quickly muttered,  
  
"I will contact you tonight."  
  
And shutting the mobile phone with a snap, Krow pocketed it as he approached the mansion.  
  
"Are you looking for someone?"  
  
He asked politely. The young man looked at him, blinked, the completely freaked out for a few choice seconds before adjusting his glasses on his long nose as he said very quickly,  
  
"Huh? Oh! Me? Er, yes, of course me, who else? Unless you were talking to yourself... no? Didn't think you were a quack. No! I mean! Uh, I mean I'm sort of... uhm..."  
  
He looked around, panicked, seemingly looking for an excuse. Krow raised an eyebrow. Was this a friend of Kaya's? It did feel like he had seen this man somewhere before... Something about that nose triggered an alarm in his head...  
  
"So you're an acquaintance of Kaya?"  
  
The young man stopped short of blabbering, appeared to do some lightning-quick thinking before blurting out a bit too quickly,  
  
"NO!! I mean, er, no. Whatever gave you th-that idea? I mean, I'm just... just looking at the... flowers? No, that's sissy-- I meant-- looking at the house. Heheh. It's a, uhm, nice house. A nice _blue_ house. Uh, I like blue. Yeah. Right. Er... I guess I'll be going now. Haha. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was a suspicious person! Heh heh..."  
  
Smiling faintly and sweatdropping, the young man hurried away from Kaya's mansion, throwing back a flustered and searching look at Krow before disappearing from sight. The manager of Feline Incorporates narrowed his eyes somewhat suspiciously after him. Kaya didn't have any male friends to his memory. Was it some fan-boy who had found out her address somehow? That was a little worrying...  
  
'He seems familiar...'  
  
He thought, frowning,  
  
'Just like how the occasional person on the street seems familiar...'  
  
However, like every other time, Krow shrugged it off.  
  
It probably wasn't important, by any rate, and he didn't see why he should waste energy trying to think about it.  
  
He walked over to the front door, straightened his tie, plastered a smile on his face and rang the bell.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Yay. From here on I'll be building up the second arc, which is a lot shorter than the Awakening and which I guess the working title is the 'Returning Arc'. I know people are probably getting drop-dead bored by now... gomen nasai. T_T I'll be trying to pick up the pace as we go on. I'm awfully sorry about how long the blurdy thing is... well I guess I'll go to sleep now... *yawns* ...I want to buy Pretty Face...**   
  



	33. Stale in Comparison

  
  
It was as she reached for a piece of cherry pie in the canteen when she saw it.  
  
A flicker of colour danced past her vision, and she blinked as she squinted at the cherry pie suddenly sliding wildly out of focus. The noise of students skid to a stop before rising again to a different set of sounds and voices...  
  
_"That's mine!"  
  
"Not anymore."  
  
"Give it back!"  
  
"HEY!! You knocked my water into my soup!"  
  
"Who cares?!"  
_   
'What on earth--? Luffy, Zoro and Usopp...?'  
  
Confused, Nami tried to bring the cherry pie back to sharp focus, but it only sharpened properly for a second or so. Someone was holding a dish with a slice of a very scrumptious-looking cherry pie to her... more specifically, someone with black cuffs. Her eyes flitted over the blurred image of a blonde -- and the image slid into focus to reveal a charming smile with a cigarette tucked in between the lips...  
  
_"Nami-saaan, you may ignore these insufferable buffoons--"  
  
"Oi, 'prince', you gave me twice more mushrooms than everyone else!!!"  
  
"Of course you idiot, you need to learn not to leave any food--"_  
  
"Nami?"  
  
She was jerked out of her vision suddenly at the uncertain calling of her name, and turning around saw a very concerned Vivi.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Nami responded dazedly, the image of Sanji smiling at her still wedging itself into her eyes.  
  
"Uhm... you look a little 'out of it'."  
  
Waving away her friend's worry Nami picked up the cherry pie and moved along to the water bottles, smiling to cover up the heavy weight seeming to drag down her chest.  
  
'I didn't forget that like the times I did before...'  
  
She thought uncomfortably as she tried to ignore the strange sensation of hands pulling down her heart to the pit of her stomach. She took a look at the cherry pie, and felt her heart go lower.  
  
The cherry pie looked stale now.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What? Virtual reality?"  
  
"Mm, sort of."  
  
Kale swallowed his chocolate doughnut and reached for another as he continued,  
  
"It's like I plug you into a vision which you're allowed to control. I can do it using your minds as vessels, and you guys try and see what happens when you try and change your actions. Basically, see different ways you can change fate."  
  
Sanji raised his eyebrows as he pulled a batch of vanilla cookies out of the tiny electric oven on the table.   
  
"So... we're trying ways to save that dimension, huh?"  
  
"Yup,"  
  
Kale nodded, and tried to sidle his hand behind the toaster for a cookie but was promptly decked with an oven mitt.  
  
"No touching!! These are for Nami-san,"  
  
Sanji said firmly, dusting his hands off of flour and carefully setting the rack of cookies to cool on his bed. Kale let out a whiny sound that was only wasted on the cook.  
  
"Fine. Be that way."  
  
He said with an incredibly childish tilt. Sanji shook his head.  
  
"You know, you seem to be very fond of sweeter things in this life,"  
  
He observed as he pulled out a plate from a small stack near the oven. Kale grinned.  
  
"Nah, that's just me. Luffy likes meat."  
  
"Well, at least now I know the difference,"  
  
Sanji said, shaking his head again.  
  
'To think I had enough trouble with the guy in my past life what with his abnormal consumption of meat, and now he's got _two_ different appetites...'  
  
The model sighed as he watched Kale happily pop another doughnut into his mouth.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kaya?"  
  
Usopp's eyes widened as he heard the familiarly soft tones speak nervously back,  
  
"Yes... are you busy, Usopp-san?"  
  
"N-not at all,"  
  
He stammered, trying not to remember the morning. He had only been there once, after all - taking Kaya back home the first time they had met - and he had been already nervous on whether it had been the right house or not. All he had wanted to do was to walk her to work or something.  
  
Then that guy appeared and freaked the living daylights out of him, and for more reasons than just appearing out of thin air. That man had looked _familiar_ - the slicked back hair, the slipping glasses and walking posture looked incredibly like someone Usopp was sure he'd known before... _Past life person?_ He wondered.  
  
Usopp realised that Kaya hadn't said anything in response yet, and hurriedly added,  
  
"Er, is something wrong?"  
  
"I... really wanted to just... uhm... talk to you, I guess..."  
  
She took a small breath as though this was deeply troubling, and Usopp quirked a brow.  
  
"Kaya, are you alright?"  
  
"I'm... just not feeling very well..."  
  
She admitted tiredly,  
  
"And... well, Kurohadol-san came and visited me this morning. He was an acquaintance of my parent's."  
  
Usopp's eyes widened.  
  
"Hey, that sounds like the name of that manager. Feline Incorporates, I think..."  
  
An image flashed before the engineer's eyes -- a photo from a newspaper article-- yes, he'd seen the man before...  
  
"That's an electronics company, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, that's him."  
  
She sounded gloomy, and Usopp decided he didn't want to push on that aspect of the subject.  
  
"Uh, is there something that happened between you guys?"  
  
"Oh, no!"  
  
Kaya's voice sounded surprised as she spoke hastily,  
  
"I'm just a little disturbed because... well, he visits quite often nowadays, and..."  
  
There was a pause as Kaya seemed to be hesitating. Usopp waited for her to collect her thoughts.  
  
"Uhm... I guess I'm not very comfortable with the man."  
  
She said finally, and the volume in her voice dropped a notch as she continued softly,  
  
"He sort of... reminds me of my parents."  
  
She sounded so forlorn. Usopp felt his heart wrench for the girl, and remembered how badly their deaths had affected her... another twist to the chest, and Usopp's hand tightened around his mug. He set down his pliers for a minute.  
  
"You know Kaya,"  
  
He said suddenly with a cheerful tone to his voice,  
  
"I met that guy before, believe it or not. See, something happened this morning..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Krieg entered the garage from the back door straight from the showers and was met with the sight of Krow sitting at the table.  
  
"Krow? What are you doing here?"  
  
He asked blankly as he pulled out a chair and began to towel off his hair.  
  
"Wouldn't you think that I'd be a little more concerned, considering I'm donating an awful lot of money to this 'scheme' of yours?"  
  
Krow said, scowling. Krieg rolled his eyes.  
  
"Relax. We're just using 'em to get to another vault and in the mean while using 'em for revenge."  
  
The white-haired gang leader smirked as he rubbed at his hair vigorously, feeling ecstasy fill him as he imagined himself pulverising the blonde haired kicking twerp. It took him a while to notice that fact that Krow was carefully studying several knife blades in his hands.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
He asked curiously as the manager ran a thoughtful finger along the back of a paper-cutter blade. Krow's eyes glinted at Krieg through the glasses, and slowly pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose using his palm. The palm he used still had a blade tucked between the fingers. Krow gave a small shudder of what looked like perverse pleasure at the action, and he went back to stroking the blade.  
  
"Say, Krieg,"  
  
He said in a low and quiet voice,  
  
"Have you ever felt anything... familiar?"  
  
Krieg blinked. What was the kook on about now? He watched the man smile strangely as he ran a thumb along the sharp edge of the knife.  
  
"Come to think of it... perhaps."  
  
He said slowly, thinking of the fact that most of his crew-mates - especially Gin - had come into his gang because he had found them recognisable. Krow raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Have you?"  
  
"Yeah. Why? You get that deja vu-ish feeling, too?"  
  
An image of a long-nosed man - not the one who had been before Kaya's mansion that morning, but someone who looked insistently similar - flickered across Krow's mental vision. He nodded slowly in response, and looked down at his hands and the knife blade.  
  
"...Cat Claws,"  
  
He muttered, but did not say anything else to help out Krieg's confused expression.  
  
  
  
  
  
The room was filled with cigarette smoke with only small slivers of white light filtering between the blinds. Jenna coughed as she eased the door open to let herself in. The young man inside glanced up quickly, but when his eyes registered through the musty air the bright copper streaks in her hair he went back to his phone call.  
  
"Not now, Jenna, I'm busy."  
  
She smiled as she purred,  
  
"Aww, Kent..."  
  
"Yes, well, it's not going to be easy trying to get them to do anything under that amount of payment, I mean, that's not even decent--"  
  
"Kent,"  
  
Jenna repeated, but he ignored her again, his thick eyebrows knotting as he muttered,  
  
"We're perfectly capable of the job, we've got quality and quantity, what more could you ask for? And I've got a sister in there, she'll help in grabbing contacts and help in diversions but you've got to raise the payment--"  
  
"What? That's something to do with me? Kent, talk to me!!"  
  
Jenna snapped, her sweet demeanor disappearing. Kent rolled his eyes, mouthing,  
  
"Not now, I'm busy negotiating with someone here..."  
  
Before returning to the phone and snapping waspishly,  
  
"That's not enough!!"  
  
He blinked as the phone went silent. Not even the noisy breathing of his boss could be heard... he didn't understand-- until Jenna brandished a phone cord under his nose.  
  
"What the-- JENNA!!! That was my freaking BOSS!! Waporu!!!"  
  
"Relax, he'll take the response to mean you're being serious. Listen, Kent, what do you mean about me grabbing contacts?"  
  
Kent smirked, his mood improving at the memory of the promise of a lot of money.  
  
"It's some major paying job. Merging with a bunch of other gangs for a day for something. All I've gotta do with my team is bang up some kids from GLU. Do you know a Zoro Roronoah and a Sandy White?"  
  
Jenna's eyes widened.  
  
"Of course I do! Who wouldn't know Sandy White?! And Zoro's a..."  
  
She paused before saying softly,  
  
"...good friend of mine..."  
  
"Er, we're just scaring them. Nothing much, sweetie, don't look so pale."  
  
But Jenna's eyes were glinting maliciously as she said,  
  
"Oh, I won't worry too much about me. I'm sure Zoro won't be too scarred by what he sees. See, Kent... I want to ask you... could you do a huge favour for me?"  
  
"It would depend,"  
  
Kent said as he looked at his sister suspiciously. She smiled sweetly.  
  
"Just beat up another student for me, will you?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
Jenna's eyes narrowed as she remembered the bitch dragging Zoro off in the dinner dance, and her voice came out as a sort of growl as she replied through her teeth,  
  
"A raven that goes by the name of 'Tashigi'..."  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: I think I'm updating every Sunday/Monday... I think. ^_^* Thanks for all your reviews... and don't worry ashez-san, I find your review extremely rewarding. See, I _knew_ that chapter would throw loads of people off. XD thanks for giving me another chance! *bows* That goes to everyone else who bothered spend their time typing me a review. Arigatou. ^_^**   
  
_*side note* I'll be starting a page for 'Reborn' soon to put on my website, I think... ^^;; It's growing to be a very experimental project..._   
  



	34. Pathetic

  
  
As he exited Physics and tightened the bandanna behind his neck, he saw her. She was brushing back her raven-black strands behind an ear as she struggled to balance a huge pile of textbooks in her arms. Stumbling a little as she walked, she disappeared around a hallway.  
  
He didn't know what made him do it, but he started to run in her direction. He ignored the surprised called of Johnny and Yosaku behind him. He crashed into several people trying to reach their lockers. He nearly nailed a teacher into her own classroom. But by the time Zoro reached the hallway, she was long gone.  
  
Feeling foolish, the green-head made his slow way down the steps to the grounds. What on earth had inspired him to run, anyway? He could always catch up to her later on... or could he?  
  
Maybe I'm afraid, he mused to himself. Maybe I'm scared I won't be able to talk to her later. Then he frowned. Why was he afraid? What was Tashigi to him anyway? Her retreating figure arose his eyes and Zoro suddenly felt depressed.  
  
Sure he didn't know a lot of girls, but this was frankly ludicrous. She was just a friend to him, like a lot of other people. Just like how Yosaku and Johnny were... right? A flash of blue eyes melting into brown flashed in his mind, and Zoro bit his lip. He didn't want to think about the other soul in him, not now. That was too painful...  
  
He didn't understand it. Why was she so angry at him now? Had he done something wrong? Maybe she doesn't like me, he thought. But that was weird. She seemed perfectly fine with him before...  
  
_ "You were really cool. I'd never seen skill like that before. You-- you were amazing."_  
  
The small image of the blush at her cheeks passed his eyes as her voice echoed in his mind, and he felt his ears warm. Why the heck am I thinking of that time?! He thought irritatedly.  
  
_"Stop-- stop talking like that! Stop using that word!"  
  
"You stop whacking me first, Miss. Charming."_  
  
Oh great. Now memories were playing a slideshow through his brain.  
  
He suddenly flushed hotly in horror. Was he bringing memories of-- of _flirting?_ He looked about frantically, hoping no one had seen his blush. This was embarrassing! Had he been flirting with Tashigi? He didn't want to know. Stupid prince and his stupid influential ways of thinking!  
  
Shaking his head sharply to rid himself of the images, he stepped onto the springy grass outside and took a deep breath of fresh air.  
  
Okay, he was cool with it. He _wasn't_ thinking of her. He made his way resolutely towards the entrance, making sure he was thinking about about buying something for Luffy to eat and _not_ her. Nope, he was definitely not thinking of her.  
  
Resolutely he made his way across the grounds. Yep, still not thinking of her.  
  
_ "See? You weren't listening either."  
  
She moved her glasses to hide her blush to no avail as she replied,  
  
"Well, at least I was awake."_  
  
Zoro put his head in his hands and groaned.  
  
  
  
  
  
There was a little skip to Sanji's step as he walked towards the second floor of the dormitory block.  
  
"Hel-lo, girls,"  
  
He said cheerfully with a grin as he swooped past them. They greeted him back with curiosity brimming in their voices as they watched the model whistle happily as he cradled a small package in one hand.  
  
With unnecessarily huge sweeping motions, Sanji knocked gracefully on Nami's dorm door.  
  
"Coming, just a second..."  
  
There was a few noises of shuffling. The moment the door opened the smallest crack, however, Sanji burst through singing,  
  
"Naaaaaami-saaaaan!!!"  
  
The girl stared at him as he twirled around ridiculously to sudden thrust forward a small package in tissue paper with a super-curly ribbon tied around it. Nami blinked. How amazing. He wasn't moving a muscle. There wasn't even a twitch in his brow as he stood there, balanced on one leg and offered the package to her in an extremely exaggerated gesture.  
  
She took it hesitantly, and he snapped back into action, blinking and breathing again as he gave a small sigh of affection.  
  
"Uh... Sanji-kun?"  
  
The chef flounced behind him to shut the door before turning around and smiling as he said slowly,  
  
"Yeeees, Nami-san?"  
  
Nami wanted to tell the chef to leave - her excuse being she was due to meeting Usopp in around ten minutes - but something about the atmostphere sealed the excuse shut. She didn't know why; maybe she was just growing more benevolent to the model. Yet the little hook-like sensations clawing at her chest didn't feel as drastic as before. It was a lot less.  
  
Sanji has started unpacking small things onto her desk, and he smiled brightly when she turned to look.  
  
"See, Nami-san? Orange juice and some Koi tablets!"  
  
Her eyebrows rose at the mention of the aspirin.  
  
"How'd you know I needed some Koi?"  
  
She asked in surprise as she walked over to her desk. He hopped over to pull out the desk chair as he explained cheerfully,  
  
"Vivi told me, so of course I immediately whipped up a batch vanilla cookies and went off to get Koi tablets for you. You used to get constant headaches on the S.S. Going Merry, I remember!"  
  
"I see,"  
  
Nami said slowly. He started to chatter about the convenience store nearby when Nami nearly keeled over from the sudden squeeze and clench on her heart; she held a hand to her chest as her headache increased in pain ten-fold. He stopped talking abruptly as he saw her pale quite suddenly.  
  
"...Nami-san?"  
  
He prompted worriedly, unsure of how to react from her change in demeanor. So much for being happy that she didn't snap at me for three minutes, Sanji thought sadly. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath in effort to calm the rising pounding in her brain, then started to say,  
  
"Sanji-kun, you really didn't have to worry. I can do perfectly well on my own--"  
  
"That's not true."  
  
He interrupted, his eyes beseeching as he continued despite her startled gaze,  
  
"And you can't stop me from worrying. Because... I can't help it, either. I told you that already, Nami-san."  
  
Nami settled in her chair wordlessly, carefully undoing the ribbon on the package and setting it down on the table-top. The vanilla cookies were still warm as she picked one up, the texture soft and the aroma delicious. She tentatively bit into one under Sanji's nervous eyes.  
  
She swallowed, and Sanji felt himself almost jerk in surprise as she gave just the tiniest of smiles to him, and felt pleasure flush his cheeks as she said softly,  
  
"Did you mix lemon with this?"  
  
"Yes,"  
  
He said, hoping he didn't sound too eager,  
  
"I used some zest..."  
  
She picked up her cell-phone and looked at it thoughtfully. Then she stood up, and he looked alarmedly at her. He'd over-done it! He knew he shouldn't have sounded so excited! He cursed himself as he forlornly watched her move towards the dormitory door. Then she turned to grace him with that small smile again.  
  
"Excuse me for a minute, Sanji-kun."  
  
She said,  
  
"I just need to cancel an appointment..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Zoro entered his dorm room to find Usopp sprawled on his bed with Nami and Sanji on floor. Luffy was sitting in a chair, and the four were in deep conversation.  
  
"Hey."  
  
He greeted as he set down a plastic bag full of instant noodles and candy bars onto the table near the toaster,  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Luffy attacked the bag while Usopp explained,  
  
"We're going to try something out tonight."  
  
"Uh... what?"  
  
He asked as he sat down next to the engineer. He noted with mild surprise Nami was sitting near Sanji. Not right next to him, but near him. It made Sanji seem happier than usual. It was with a smile that Sanji answered,  
  
"We're going to go 'back in time' to the place we died and re-enact the scene again, only this time we're going to try to change what happened. It's like a simulation."  
  
"It _is_ a simulation,"  
  
Luffy-- or rather, Kale called back over his shoulder with a mouthful of chocolate,  
  
"So let's try this out now, eh?"  
  
He plopped onto the floor as Usopp slid onto it from the bed, and produced a small orb from his pocket. It looked like a black marble, only it seemed to be made out of wispy material as he put it into the center of the circle.  
  
"See this? It's a nifty thing I got from God. Just press a hand onto it and I'll plug you guys in. I'll bring you guys out later, right?"  
  
They nodded. Nami felt unease fill her at the thought of seeing them all die again, but she reminded herself that they were going to try to _prevent_ that this time.  
  
"Now, I think this will work easier if you guys just think about your past selves. It should be easier."  
  
A small pause followed, and Kale gave a wide grin.  
  
"Okay, let's give this a shot!"  
  
He said confidently, and pressed his index finger onto a part of the orb. The others followed suit looking dubiously at the strangely cool orb but knowing better than to comment.  
  
Then, without another word, the five lost their minds to a fold in their dimension as they were plugged into the simulation.  
  
  
  
  
  
The rains pelted down, and Zoro got a shock from the sudden freezing cold seeping into his bones. He tried to blink the water from his eyes. Sanji was looking just as surprised and confused across him. They were both holding some sort of wooden stick with a lamb head on it... the key, of course.  
  
Lightning forked the stormy skies and a sudden figure was illuminated on the other side of the ship, a pony-tail and buckles flying freely in the wind. Then, without warning, the intruder grabbed Luffy in a single swipe.  
  
Luffy let out a yell of surprise, and appeared to be struggling. This was different; he hadn't try to desist last time. Zoro held his breath as he stood up, ignoring the key, and was met with the sight of his captain being thrown off board anyway.  
  
He looked to his left frantically; where was Usopp?! He was next to die-- he saw the sniper trying to sneak his way around Nami in an effort not to be seen, in hopes this would result in him saving Luffy....  
  
The intruder held up a hand, and in a flash of white light, Usopp was on the floor and dead. Crap!! Zoro thought, then his eyes widened as he noticed, this time, Nami was on the floor next to Usopp too, sorely lacking breathing.  
  
Sanji gave an enraged cry of horror next to him, and charged mercilessly towards the enemy.  
  
"You idiot!! Stop running!!"  
  
Zoro yelled over the howling wind, but it was too late. Sanji flipped over a beam, but was shot through the stomach with a second one. He crumpled onto the floor and died almost immediately.  
  
The swordsman stood up, trying to bring power back to the muscles he was not used to having, and looked up to face his enemy. Except, instead of his enemy, he aw a white flash of light.  
  
It filled Zoro's vision, and suddenly, he knew no more...  
  
  
  
  
  
All of them gave a simultaneous sharp intake of breath as they returned back to Zoro's and Sanji's dorm room. They withdrew their hands quickly from the now glowing orb, which quickly sank back into its black marble-like state.  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
Without warning, Kale's face split into a scowl as he burst into a furious tirade.  
  
"What the hell was that?!"  
  
He demanded irritatedly,  
  
"That was absolutely **pathetic**!!"  
  
Exchanging sheepish glances, the crew didn't reply.  
  
They really had nothing to answer with.  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Okay, this is a pathetic chapter. But it's meant to be. :P Okay... so I skipped a day on my planned schedule. Damn it; with all the SARS thing going on in Hong Kong now it's getting stupid. I'm cooped up all day at home, not allowed outside, and if I do go out I need a mouth-mask. Stupid SARS. And you'd think I'd get multiple chapters down by now, but nooo, I'm too busy working! How dumb is that? Okay enough of my dumb rant. I'll rework this later if I read it later and think it needs reworking...**   
  



	35. Give Chase to Her?

  
  
Kaya felt like a child, but she couldn't help but keep up a slightly sulky exterior as Krow continued to calmly spread blueberry jam on his toast across her own dining table. She was honestly getting very annoyed at how often Krow was coming by lately. Truth be told, although greatly indebted and grateful to the man, she did not like what his visits were insinuating. The tabloids were being absolutely ridiculous.  
  
"Kaya, dear, why the depressed face? Have you taken your tablets?"  
  
The actress lifted her chin at the worried tone, surprised at how familiar it sounded, when she was met with the sight of him running a thumb along the blunt edge of his butter-knife. A chilling smile flitted across his lips before curling down. Suddenly, his eyes met hers in a penetrating gaze, and Kaya froze.  
  
Her vision swam into a haze of grey and black; she tried to blink but her eyes were transfixed on the cold gaze locking her in place. And something distant and faded -- someone's voice -- began to play in her mind like a broken record.  
  
_"Everything..."  
  
No! This... really... isn't....  
  
"...wanted 'peace'..."  
  
...this isn't...   
  
"Get out of the village!!"  
  
...isn't... Kla..hadol...  
  
"...**your death**....!!"_  
  
"Miss Kaya?"  
  
Merii's nervous voice broke into her vision and the distorted voices stopped abruptly, Kaya's eyes meeting Merii's concerned look.  
  
"Are you... alright?"  
  
"Yes, of course,"  
  
She said faintly. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end; she brushed the back of her hand roughly against her hair. She felt dizzy and sick.  
  
"I said, did you take your medicine, Kaya?"  
  
She avoided his glance and gave a sharp shake of the head.  
  
'What was that...?'  
  
Kaya thought with a slight frown as she looked down at her now unappetizing toast,  
  
'Am I growing delusional? Or is this what Usopp-san...?'  
  
"There was a young man waiting outside the mansion yesterday morning,"  
  
Kaya looked up from her plate, startled at Krow's mention of the subject of her thoughts. Krow's cruel and calculating look was gone, and he looked mildly concerned as he spoke.  
  
"He acted highly suspicious. You don't suppose he's a stalker?"  
  
"Oh, no, not Usopp-san,"  
  
Kaya said with a small laugh as she remembered what he'd told her about his meeting with Krow,  
  
"He's just a good friend of mine."  
  
Krow and Merii were looking at Kaya as though she had just run around in circles on the ceiling. She didn't ask, but she knew why. She hadn't laughed in ages. They failed to comment, and instead, Krow continued,  
  
"All the same, Kaya. I feel you should take more... precaution in the people you choose to associate with. He seemed a little..."  
  
He waved a hand about as he tried to come up with an appropriate word, and settled on,  
  
"...absurd. Perhaps you should spend more time with a psychiatrist for your depression, rather than--"  
  
"No, I'm fine,"  
  
Kaya said with a firm tone Krow was not accustomed to at all,  
  
"Please don't tell me who to associate with and who to not, Klahadol. I don't like it."  
  
Krow's eyes narrowed almost angrily as Kaya poured iced tea into her glass.  
  
'That's not right, Kaya,'  
  
He thought enragedly,  
  
'You're not acting right at all. Did you forget? You're--'  
  
"Sir, more tea?"  
  
Merii asked hastily in effort to break the tension, and also stopping Krow's train of thought.  
  
"Yes, please."  
  
He said, his voice cool but pleasant. Kaya saw him open his mouth, and knowing he was going to spout something about Usopp, quickly said:  
  
"So have you acquired the Storm land of Theodore Flint yet?"  
  
Krow looked surprised but quickly hid it as he took a sip of his glass.  
  
"Not until some... matters are cleared up,"  
  
He said vaguely, immediately sparking suspicion in Kaya.  
  
"What matters?"  
  
"Some strange rumour about another will existing. Could change everything, I'm not sure..."  
  
"Another will?"  
  
Kaya said in surprise,  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Er, rumours go as far to say that it is with Augustus Flint. Theodore's son. But of course it's a highly unlikely story--"  
  
"I never heard of that before. His son's still alive?"  
  
"Supposedly,"  
  
He said in the same vague tone,  
  
"But it's probably nonsense, my dear... nonsense..."  
  
There was something that was obviously very disturbing overlying the situation, but before Kaya could probe further she was interrupted.  
  
"You are probably right, sir."  
  
Merii piped up cheerfully. Krow smiled at Merii, and unless Kaya was mistaken there was something grateful edging his lips.  
  
For the rest of breakfast Kaya failed to bring up the subject of Flint's Will again, and suppressed a scowl until Krow left.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tashigi hung up the phone with a deep and troubled frown. She hadn't heard his voice in ages, and she certainly hadn't been prepared for it when she'd picked up.  
  
Why on Earth had he called?  
  
She shook her head quickly, not wanting to think about the possibilties. All the same, her heart pounded as she hastily ran a brush through her hair and polished her lenses. She'd find out soon enough...  
  
As she walked along the corridor her eyes passed over the grounds outside through the open windows. Her eyes widened as she saw Zoro meandering his way through a group of female students playing basketball. A small black-haired boy was tagging along behind him as they headed out of the university. Her eyes lingered on his bandanna and the glint of the hoops in his ears from the sun when she mentally kicked herself, looking away from the window.  
  
If she thought about it, the fact that Zoro had seemed to not mind her and genuinely respect her had truly affected her in a way no one else could. Not even Smoker had made her feel that way... and Tashigi knew that was why it hurt her more. The idea that Zoro had only been interested in her because she was 'familiar'. There was a horrible disappointment that ached in her. It was more of a disappointment of herself than Zoro.  
  
When would anyone ever accept her as herself? Maybe I'm being selfish here, Tashigi reasoned, Zoro has a right to be friendly to anyone familiar to him... But she felt bad all the same...  
  
Without warning she missed a step on the staircase due to too much thinking and with an embarrassing yelp tumbled down the staircase. She rubbed her grazed arms with a sweatdrop and bent over to collect the contents of her bag that had spilled out on the way down. Behind her, she heard someone else pick something up.  
  
Her heart nearly stopped.  
  
_"You stop whacking me first, Miss. Charming."_  
  
He always seemed to appear when she was having problems...! She turned around, her eyes wide with anticipation, to see Yuina standing behind her and holding Tashigi's cell-phone. Tashigi felt herself deflate abruptly.  
  
"I... I think you dropped this,"  
  
Yuina said softly. Tashigi took it uncertainly, wondering briefly if the girl had implanted a cherry bomb in it while she hadn't been looking.  
  
"Uh, thanks,"  
  
Tashigi said, then regretted sounding so insincere as Yuina's dark-green eyes looked down-castedly at the floor. She felt like an idiot. She'd just _seen_ Zoro leave the university. And why had she been so _happy_? Tashigi refrained from bashing her head against the wall, not wanting to alarm Yuina, but she felt like doing so.  
  
"Yuina?"  
  
Tashigi looked upwards as Yuina did to see Karen holding a small girl's hand at the top of the stairs. Karen's eyes were darting suspiciously from Tashigi to Yuina as the girl untangled her fingers from Karen's grip and ran towards Yuina, tugging her hand.  
  
"Come on, Yuinaaa! You promised me you'd buy lunch,"  
  
Tashigi noticed that although the small girl didn't have the same green eyes as Yuina, their skin and their hair shared the same quality. Tashigi easily assumed the girl was Yuina's younger sister. The girl looked no older than ten.  
  
"Okay, Yuko. Karen, you wanna come?"  
  
Karen narrowed her eyes.  
  
"No, I don't want to go near Raven. That's just sick."  
  
She said coldly, and without another word turned on her heel and left. Yuina gave a small glance at Tashigi that looked almost apologetic before smiling at Yuko and leading her down the stairs.  
  
"What did Karen mean by Raven?"  
  
The young girl's voice floated curiously up the stairs, and Yuina's voice replied curtly,  
  
"She didn't mean a thing."  
  
Tashigi slid her phone into her bag pocket, a thoughtful look gracing her face. There was definitely something about Yuina, but Tashigi wasn't set on figuring Yuina out when she hadn't even solved her own problems. She waited until Yuina's and Yuko's footsteps had stopped echoing up the staircase before setting down herself.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did you buy out Eighty-Twelve?"  
  
Sanji asked with a sweatdrop as Luffy and Zoro, having returned from the convenience store, dumping five bags onto the table stuffed with food.  
  
"Only half of it,"  
  
Zoro said with a roll of his eyes as Luffy immediately started on the sandwiches with gusto. Sanji shook his head.  
  
"You don't have to buy all the instant stuff, you know. If you get some ingredients I'll actually make something edible for you guys. The canteen food isn't the best thing in the world."  
  
Luffy nodded enthusiastically as he finished the package of sandwiches and started on a bag of buttered cuttlefish. Sanji was selecting a tie when he noticed Zoro munching on a muffin and looking distinctly uncomfortable.  
  
"What's wrong, cabbage-head? Yesterday's defeat gnawing at you?"  
  
Zoro scowled.  
  
"Wrong, pansy."  
  
"Well, _something's_ wrong."  
  
"Nothing's 'wrong',"  
  
Zoro said shortly, and silence resumed with only the noisy crunching of Luffy consuming his third bag of crisps breaking it occasionally. Then Zoro said suddenly,  
  
"Oi, dumbass prince. If... someone keeps running from you. What do you do?"  
  
Sanji's eyebrows shot up.  
  
"Zoro, are you talking about a _girl_?"  
  
Zoro's face plunged into scarlet as he stuttered,  
  
"I never said that!"  
  
"Is it that girl? The girl you were sleeping on in assembly?"  
  
Sanji asked, a cheesy grin spreading across his face. Zoro rolled his eyes, though his face was still burning, and started on a sandwich as he growled,  
  
"Forget I even asked."  
  
"Well, if a girl is running from you, what you should do is obvious."  
  
Zoro raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You would know."  
  
He said, and Sanji winced at the indirect mention of Nami. Zoro looked very interestedly at his sandwich as he swallowed with difficulty and asked,  
  
"What _do_ you do?"  
  
"I go after her."  
  
Sanji said with a roll of his eyes. Zoro blinked as the model pulled on his jacket and announced,  
  
"I've got to get going to Horlock Street. I'll see you guys later."  
  
He waved as he started towards the door, but stopped in alarm as Luffy flapped his arms about wildly, choking on his current packet of jelly-beans as he tried to speak. He swallowed what was in his mouth painfully before saying frantically,  
  
"How can you go now?!! You're supposed to stay so we can figure out what to do about your _dimension_?"  
  
"Well, we will try to save the other life we've got, but we have another life we're in charge of _now_,"  
  
Sanji said irritatedly before leaving and shutting the door with a snap.  
  
"So you guys think saving your entire planet can wait?"  
  
Kale said, his jaw dropped open. Zoro shrugged, not really listening - then his eyes narrowed.  
  
"You ate half of what we bought already?!"  
  
Kale tried to smile innocently as he bit into his fifteenth chocolate bar.  
  
Zoro glowered at the empty packages strewn on the table-top, but let it rest with a sigh. It looked like another trip to Eighty-Twelve was in store for tonight. He bit into a cheese cracker as he thought,  
  
'I go after her...?'  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Eighty-Twelve. =_=;; Oh well. I'm sorry I keep ditching my update schedule... It's sort of difficult for me to keep up with, I guess. Gomen nasai. T_T This was a relatively stupid chapter, and I hope to get things rolling again soon... thanks for reading uptil now, and I sincerely thank anyone who reviewed. ;_;***   
  



	36. Too Much Fruit and Denial

  
  
He had just swallowed down his tweflth banana when he sensed someone shifting outside the dorm before several tentative knocks sounded. Kale opened the door to Sanji's and Zoro's dormitory to reveal a nervous looking Nami outside.  
  
"Hey,"  
  
He greeted the navigator as he let her in. She looked around almost pensively.  
  
"Where's...?"  
  
She began, and stopped as though in hesitation. Kale raised an eyebrow.  
  
_What's eating her?_ He thought.  
  
"Zoro went to class. I think he went to Physics? And Sanji went out for some photo-shoot."  
  
Nami nodded slowly before walking toward the table and setting down a plastic bag onto it. It tipped over, a couple of oranges escaping the contents.  
  
"You guys don't seem to eat any fruit, but I see you've been eating bananas--"  
  
She began, then sweatdropped as Kale nodded eagerly with a mouth bulging with orange peel,  
  
"Yesh! We don't! I had to literally beg Zoro to get the bananas. Thank God you brought some nourishment--"  
  
He was interrupted rather abruptly by a very sharp thwack over the head as Nami snapped,  
  
"You're not supposed to eat the orange peel!!!"  
  
"Why @#$%ing not?!"  
  
Kale asked annoyedly as he swallowed three slices at once. He spat the seeds out onto a napkin as Nami shook her head with a sigh and pulled out a chair for herself. She sat there quietly watching Kale eat two more oranges, silently reviving her dreams the previous night that had woke her again and again, dripping with pespiration and gripped with a unfathomable terror...  
  
_ "Guess I'll do a better job with the girl, then."  
  
She saw the intruder's sinister smile as she struggled to come to terms with the fact Usopp had gone... had his blood all over her clothes... had said goodbye for the last time--  
  
And then-- amidst the rain she could see his sweet and boyish smile through the haze of pounding rain before the white light sealed him away from her vision...  
  
"Save for your pathetic captain - he was most pathetic... and the long-nosed man and blonde man were even worse."  
  
A searing heat of anger shot through her veins and her mind, blotting out the horrifying images that were clinging to her eyes.  
  
"DAMN YOU!!!"  
  
The anger transformed her voice to a point of hatred she herself was almost surprised to hear, unable to recognise her own pitch of anger... And then-- Zoro grabbed her, yelled something to her, but she couldn't hear--  
  
"Z-Zoro, L-Luffy-- U-Usopp-- th-they're--"  
  
She tried to tell him, tried to make him understand. He didn't look like he understood at all--  
  
"Look, I know, but this isn't the time,"  
  
He said--_  
  
"Bad dream?"  
  
Startled out of her reverie and caught by surprise, Nami spluttered,  
  
"B-bad d-dre--?"  
  
Kale chewed a slice thoughtfully as he mumbled through a mouthful of orange,  
  
"You look pale and you have bags under your eyes. Like you slept badly. Really badly."  
  
He reiterated when she self-conciously ran her fingertips below her lower-lashes.  
  
"....I keep getting nightmares."  
  
She muttered grudgingly, not wanting to admit it but feeling that she had to,  
  
"Replays of that day... that day our past lives ended."  
  
Kale shrugged.  
  
"I'm not surprised. You were pretty traumatised."  
  
Her eyes flashed dangerously at the nonchalant looking boy.  
  
"What the hell's your problem?"  
  
She demanded angrily,  
  
"If you know so much about the painful predicaments some of us have to endure, why the hell do you have to act as though we're being babyish?!"  
  
He looked stonily back at her.  
  
"As I said before, the whole thing would go much more easily for you guys if you'd just _get over your denial_."  
  
"What am I denying, exactly?"  
  
Nami folded her arms across her chest, her eyes challenging Kale's. Kale's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Don't tell me you don't know."  
  
He said irritatedly. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Great. Is this one of those annoyingly stupid statements like 'I won't tell you if you don't know'?"  
  
Kale didn't answer, and Nami snorted.  
  
"I guess it is. How stupid -- you don't know what I'm denying, either. Maybe I'm not denying anything at all. See, maybe, sir angel, I'm just getting bad dreams from those stupid visions you gave us that night."  
  
A small smile seemed to be growing on her lips as she spoke, her eyes strangely unfocused as she rushed on,  
  
"And maybe you just need some random people to help you, just like I said before, and _you're_ the one denying that fact. Sanji-kun doesn't seem to understand the fact that just because our past selves may be close doesn't mean our current lives have to be."  
  
She lowered her gaze to the table-top, her gaze still listless as she continued,  
  
"He doesn't understand, just like you don't understand, that our past and current lives are separate. Certain things will happen as a result of the past, but only the past from our current lives. Similarities could just be coincidences. God just chose us out of convenience. We all used to know each other and we're within vicinity of the other, after all."  
  
Nami slowly turned her eyes to meet Kale's face, bowed low in a way his fringe covered his eyes. She smirked at the sight.  
  
"So maybe these dreams are just a way of pushing me. Pushing me into doing something I actually don't have to do. Making me face something I don't have to face at all. These dreams and visions - despite how disturbing they can get -- you're going the wrong way with it, Kale. You're not pushing me into doing something I don't want to do."  
  
"What makes you think _I'm_ giving you the dreams?"  
  
Kale asked lowly, his voice sounding half-hearted.  
  
"Yesterday, me and Sanji-kun had a talk. A pointless chat, I suppose, but during it I discovered the pains seem to be getting less... especially because I was considering him as someone who I _didn't_ know in my past. But you see, that night the dreams got worse. To an unbearable extent, almost."  
  
Her smirk grew twisted.  
  
"You're the one who wants everyone to concentrate solely on getting the dimension back, right? You sure you aren't just in it for the money? Or in terms of angels, just in it for whatever award God plans to give you once this is all over? You'd be the only one who'd give me these dreams in an act to remind me of who Sanji-kun is. No, who Sanji-kun _was_."  
  
Her tone dropped several notches as she glowered at the angel and said,  
  
"Like I said, it's not going to happen. I'm not going to bend to you, Kale, no matter what sort of crap you try to pull on me. See, I've been thinking far ahead of you. And I know that I can stand these dreams. Because I don't want to have to do this. I don't want to have this stupid dimension hanging over my head. So who cares if I don't comply? The dimension will freeze forever, right? No skin off me."  
  
Kale had stopped eating, and was quietly looking at the table-top, looking forlorn. Nami couldn't help but feel rather triumphant. Kale abruptly cut the silence with a very harsh voice.  
  
"Nami, what's _wrong_ with you?"  
  
The navigator blinked.  
  
"...Luffy?"  
  
She said, surprised. The eyes of the small boy were bright and definitely Luffy's, but Nami found herself leaning into the back of her chair, away from his livid face.  
  
"I don't understand how Kale can stand you when you're like this. Don't you want to go back, Nami?"  
  
Nami narrowed her eyes as she snapped,  
  
"I just said that our past and current lives are separate. Even Kale didn't have anything to say to tha--"  
  
"That's because he's completely depressed at just how little effect the dimension is having on you. Or should I say, too much effect."  
  
"What are you talking about? All I'm saying is that I don't think I'm indebted to my 'past life' in any way whatsoever."  
  
Luffy folded his arms across his chest looking defiantly at Nami with a twinge of anger in his voice.  
  
"If Kale won't say it, I will, you know."  
  
Nami raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"You're denying everything, Nami. You're in complete denial. You're denying the fact that you died. You're pretending you aren't connected to your past life. You're acting as though the pain doesn't affect you because you're separate, when you're tormenting your own soul because of your denial. It's the worst thing you can do, Nami -- you're denying your own soul."  
  
She was so surprised by the ferocity in the young boy's voice she failed to fill in the small pause Luffy offered. He continued on when she did not say anything.  
  
"Don't you get it? This isn't a coincidence. Until you allow your soul acceptance and stop denying the fact you _are your soul_, there is no way out of the pain or denial. Don't you understand why you get those dreams? It's because your soul wants you to remember. It has to act separate because you struggle to keep your very core away from yourself. Get me now?"  
  
His eyes bored into her own as he said clearly and firmly,  
  
"_You're ripping yourself apart._"  
  
He called her name in surprise as she stood up suddenly. Her eyes were filling with unwanted tears, and she gave him a piercing glare before stalking out of the dormitory and slamming the door shut.  
  
Angry at him for breaking through her barriers so easily, just like he had in her previous life.   
  
In the dormitory, Luffy stuffed more oranges into his mouth, giving a grunt of annoyance.  
  
'I didn't know you had that in you,'  
  
Kale mused at him. Luffy sighed out loud as he spat seeds out.  
  
"She's still not used to being my partner. She's such a difficult person."  
  
'How'd you know she was tearing herself apart?'  
  
"I thought it was obvious."  
  
Kale gave a small sigh inside of him. Luffy continued to devour the oranges, but had to stop when someone started knocking on the door.  
  
"Sanji? Zoro?"  
  
"Usopp!!!"  
  
Luffy exclaimed excitedly, and happily bounced over to the door to bang it open. The engineer looked torn between surprise and amusement as the boy shot back to the table like a bullet to continue demolishing the small pile of oranges.  
  
"Where's Sanji and Zoro?"  
  
Usopp asked as he entered.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Luffy replied. Usopp picked up an orange as he took the seat Nami had left untucked, setting down a plastic bag next to the oranges. Several apples spilled out.  
  
"I bought it in mind that you guys weren't eating any fruit, but I guess I was wrong."  
  
He paused as his eyes passed over several orange and banana peels strewn over the table. Luffy started attacking the apples with vigor, and Usopp started to peel his orange. There was a companionable silence as the two ate, though there was a considerable difference in their speeds, and it was a while before Usopp took a deep breath before saying,  
  
"I sort of came to talk to Kale."  
  
"Eh? Want me to bring him back to control?"  
  
Luffy asked, spraying bits of apple and juice onto the table. Usopp nodded apologetically.  
  
"Well, then, engineer. What's the problem?"  
  
"Well, last night's attempt was a complete disaster,"  
  
Usopp said with a hint of embarassment edging his voice, and Kale snorted.  
  
"No kidding."  
  
"Well, uhm, I was analysing the situation yesterday, and I came up with some specific problems."  
  
"Specific problems?"  
  
Kale repeated, an eyebrow raised as he watched Usopp pull out a notebook from his pocker. Flipping several pages around the ring binder, the engineer nodded as he pressed the pages down.  
  
"See, Luffy gets thrown off the ship, right? I know he struggled to no avail in yesterday's attempt, so I see the problem as he's not trying any offensive moves. So maybe he could try an offensive attack."  
  
Kale frowned as he said hesitantly,  
  
"I don't know... it's a really dumb position to try getting any momentum from..."  
  
"Well, we could just try it,"  
  
Usopp said, his eyes passing down the page before he continued,  
  
"I'm... uh, pretty good at hiding, so maybe I could hide before he has a chance to target me or something. Nami'll hide with me. And Zoro and Sanji can try to come up with a... combination attack or something. Anything to hurt the guy. After that, they can improvise, which they're both pretty good at doing."  
  
"Hmmm. I guess it's worth trying out."  
  
Kale said, looking amusedly at the detailed doodles of Luffy punching the intruder.  
  
"Uhm, Kale. You never got around to telling us, but... who is this guy, anyway? Why is he so strong?"  
  
"Devil's intervention. I told you that."  
  
"No, I asked who this guy was, not what his problem is."  
  
Kale scratched his head, frowning.  
  
"Well, I don't know his name, but he was a freaky murderer or something. Had a problem with painting pictures with his victim's blood. He was captured later, but the devil freed him and a load of others. This guy happened to enter the Grand Line, and killed off a heck load of people because he ate a fruit the devil conjured."  
  
"A Devil's Fruit?"  
  
Usopp said, surprised,  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"He didn't eat a Devil's Fruit. He ate one of the fruits Valkrief put around the planet in the Oda Dimension. The guy who attacked you guys ate one of those fruits. Up There,"  
  
Kale lifted a finger up to the ceiling,  
  
"They refer to 'em as Forbidden Fruits. The intruder of the ship ate the Power version. So he's got both visible and invisible Power in its purest form, and what's worse, he can control any way like a Devil's Fruit eater can control his or her own powers."  
  
"....Eep."  
  
Usopp said with a squeak. Kale sweatdropped as Usopp made to hide under the table.  
  
"Oh come _on_. God chose _you guys_ out of the rest for a reason."  
  
The engineer gulped as he bit into an apple nervously.  
  
"I hope He knows what He's doing,"  
  
Usopp mumbled, when his cell-phone started to ring loudly from its place in his bag. He looked hopeful as he answered,  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Then he visibly deflated as he said,  
  
"Oh, hello, Mrs. Ella. No, I'm free... what?!"  
  
His eyes widened as his jaw dropped open. Then he groaned.  
  
"Not again! Okay, I'll be there in a jiffy. No, it's okay-- I told you, I'm not busy... right. See you."  
  
Hanging up, Usopp hurriedly stood up, swinging his bag strap over his shoulder.  
  
"Gotta go somewhere urgent? What's up?"  
  
"A couple of kids fooled with the wiring and were throwing things up at the ceiling fans, and one of the kids got caught on it and now it's going at high-speed and they can't stop it and-- argh, I just gotta get there quick! I'll see you sometime,"  
  
The engineer shut the door with a snap as he hastily ran towards the Matilda Charity House.  
  
Kale had just barely finished another apple when the door opened with a bang on its hinges. Sanji, looking extremely pissed off, stomped in and threw his bag and jacket on his bed. He carefully set down the plastic bag in his other hand, however, onto the table next to the oranges and apples. Kale found out why as he sifted through the bag to find several packages of strawberries. Apparently rage didn't take over the priority of not bruising the fruit.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
Kale asked, only to be shot down with a glare.  
  
"I--hate--my--manager,"  
  
Sanji seethed, tearing off his shirt and looking for a new one,  
  
"Stupid--@#$%ing--red-head--"  
  
"Red-head?"  
  
The model blinked, turning to see the young boy staring at him curiously.  
  
"Yeah. He's a real dumbass, always putting me through the paces, as though I'm some sort of show dog."  
  
Slinging on his tie easily, Sanji started to calm down as he pulled out of a tray of mini muffins from the oven which he had evidently left to cool. The sight of his cooking made him feel loads better.  
  
"I think he enjoys the pain I'm getting. Sadistic bastard..."  
  
He was washing a package of strawberries as he muttered, and drying several with a paper towel growled,  
  
"I am _not_ doing another photo-shoot for the rest of my life if I can help it..."  
  
"Why don't you just quit?"  
  
Kale suggested, and immediately regretted it as Sanji snapped angrily,  
  
"Don't you think I'd've stopped ages ago if I could have?! Unfortunately for me, I couldn't pay for the university without the job. I wish I could get one cooking, though."  
  
He shook his head as he pulled out a plastic bag of icing from the refrigerator and started squeezing generous dollops onto each muffin.  
  
"But nooooo, I get landed with a bloody stubborn manager who, by the way, is extremely nice but also extremely scary when he wants to be. And always annoying."  
  
He started a long string of muttering that seemed to include the word 'sadistic' in it a lot as he pressed strawberries into each muffin, nestling the fruit into the icing.  
  
"Hey, I see you and Zoro bought a lot more fruit than I expected. Here I was, thinking we didn't eat enough fruit."  
  
"Uhm, actually--"  
  
"As I was saying-- stupid red-head. He was especially annoying today during the photo-shoot at Horlock's Street."  
  
He folded several muffins into tissue paper and, looking satisfiedly at it, picked up a jacket off the back of a chair and looked at it closely.  
  
"Is this Zoro's?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Urgh. I don't think he's put it through the laundry yet."  
  
Sanji tossed it into the increasing pile of clothes in the duffel bag near the door, which served as a laundry bag. He grabbed another jacket from his drawers and walked over to the door, muttering,  
  
"Poor Kaya -- I think Shanks was trying to be nice, but he should know those scars on his eye probably scare her."  
  
Kale's eyes widened.  
  
"What did you just--?"  
  
"Be back later, I'll see you,"  
  
Sanji said, now happily bright and cheerful at the prospect of meeting the navigator, and patting a small lump in his pocket and shutting the door quietly practically skipped off to the girl's floor.  
  
Kale hosed the strawberries down by the sink and began to eat the strawberries. Around twenty minutes later, he flopped onto Zoro's bed on his stomach and groaned.  
  
"I'm full."  
  
He whined,  
  
"_And_ bored..."  
  
He ended up falling asleep.  
  
Zoro returned from the closest supermarket to find a very round-bellied Luffy snoring away on his bed. He set down a plastic bag onto the table with a sweatdrop as he surveyed the banana peels, oranges seeds and peels, apple cores and strawberry leaves and centres littering the top of the table amidst crumpled tissue. Sweeping the whole lot into the bin, he settled down and found that Luffy hadn't demolished everything -- there were still lots of fruit left to his surprise.  
  
He pulled out one of the packages of cherries he had bought, and bit into a cherry as he thought,  
  
'And here I was thinking Kale would get mad at me again for not purchasing enough fruit...'  
  
He spat out the stone with a sweatdrop as he realised,  
  
"I forgot to wash it. Oops."  
  
Then as the full taste of the cherry dissolved on his tongue, Zoro made a face.  
  
"And this is way too sweet."  
  
He amused himself for the next half-hour by eating more fruit and decorating Sanji's leftover muffins with bits of cherry and icing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
** A/N: As I'm sure you'd have done. ;;; ^_^;; Gomen ne... I'm overflowing with happiness right now because of... of... well, you'll see when I stick up next chapter. *huggles Nik-san* Maaah. XD *hugs everyone who has ever reviewed* I love you all! T_T* You're all too kind to me. If it weren't for you guys, this story would never have reached this far. *Sobs hysterically into hands* I'll make it up to you one day, I promise. T_T* Arigatou. *bows*  
  
In relation to this chapter... Lame ending. =_=;; Uhm... it wasn't supposed to be like this, but I got bored and I wanted to try writing a chapter a little differently. ^_^;; Thank you for bearing, as always, with me uptil now. ^_^* Next update plan: Next Tuesday, darnit.**  
  
  



	37. Tinkling Glass

  
  
His massive jaws chomped away happily at a large piece of rock candy, his thick lips spreading into an ear-to-ear grin.  
  
"I'm all right with tha',"  
  
He said through the mouthful of candy, spraying Kent with little bits of flecks. He wiped it away disgustedly, but refrained from commenting as he nervously watched the faint light filtering into the garage reflect off the five long blades that Krow experimentally moved with one hand and carressed with the other.  
  
"Are the rest of you prepared to agree? For I am not a patient man,"  
  
He said softly. Arlong snorted.  
  
"Whatever. As long as we get the money, I don't care!"  
  
His tuneless laughter made Buggy cringe and pressed his hands to his bandaged head, but even so he grinned excitedly, his red nose seeming to glow as he said eagerly,  
  
"So the money's promised, is it?"  
  
"Augustus Flint has been located."  
  
Gin said lowly, and Waporu smirked, wiping his mouth as he tossed the rock candy in the general direction of Kent.  
  
"That does it. I think we're all in, eh?"  
  
Krieg's eyes glittered as he watched each leader carefully nod their heads in consent. A grin slowly widened across his lips.  
  
"Excellent. All plans run..."  
  
His eyes glittered maliciously as his voice heightened in excitement,  
  
"...for Saturday."  
  
  
  
  
  
He looked just as she'd remembered him, and she found her throat tightening as he settled down in front of her, running a hand through his silvery hair. He stuck a cigarette down into the ash tray near the menus, and lit up another one. Tashigi scowled despite her nervousness.  
  
"I thought I told you to quit?"  
  
She snapped, glowering. He snorted, expelling a puff of smoke as he did so.  
  
"I'll don't care if I die smoking, remember?"  
  
He said, rolling his eyes as he leant back in his chair. She sighed, finding her own muscles relaxing. There had always been a strange tendency between them; when he was tense, Tashigi tensed up, and when he was relaxed, so was she. Strangely enough, Zoro could be as relaxed as he pleased yet Tashigi could still be urgent and panicky...  
  
'Don't think of that cabbage head now,'  
  
She thought to herself irritably, and crossing her arms looked at the young man in front of her, currently craning his neck about in search for a waitress. And, as it usually did when she studied his squarish jaw and hairless brows, her vision swam into another...  
  
_"Tashigi! You idiot, stop gawking at that sword and come to order!"  
  
"Y-yes, sir! Do you want something to drink or something? It is awfully hot--"  
  
"NO!! JUST GET YOUR BUTT UP HERE, YOU IDIOT!!"_  
  
"Oi, miss! Some iced tea!"  
  
Smoker hollered.  
  
"Why'd you want to meet?"  
  
Tashigi asked dully, pointedly ignoring the images flitting past her eyes. She had grown too accumstomed to such 'visions' to care much now. He turned his hawk-like gaze to the black-haired girl quietly sitting in front of him, looking at her with piercing intensity. She sometimes wondered how he did that.  
  
"You feeling alright?"  
  
He asked gruffly, just the slightest hint of concern edging his voice. She nodded slowly, but stopped at his glare, and the nod turned into a strange diagonal shake of the head.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
When she didn't reply, Smoker continued,  
  
"It's not by any chance about-- well, about all the alternative universe thing, is it? Because-- that's precisely why I wanted to meet today."  
  
"What?!"  
  
She exclaimed.  
  
"You're the only one I told about stuff about that to. And...."  
  
He pushed himself back a bit from the coffee table and gazed out the window, his eyes narrowing slightly as he murmured,  
  
"...It just feels like the 'vibes' are getting stronger. Like something's going to-- well, _happen_."  
  
Her voice caught in her throat as her eyes widened. _She'd just met someone with the same idea as Smoker._ Did this mean she was supposed to tell him--?  
  
"I was wondering if you were feeling anything yet."  
  
He said seriously. She considered running away from the cafe for a split second-- she had never been good at lying to anyone, let alone to Smoker's lie-detecting eyes. But he would probably kick her on the way out to stop her from going. Not that he was violent-- he just got stubborn when he wanted things his way. Sighing, Tashigi took a sip of water.  
  
"Well... there _has_ been one thing..."  
  
She murmured, and Smoker lifted his brows up expectantly.  
  
  
  
  
  
"We won't do it again! We won't!"  
  
"We promith, Uthopp! Thith time we'll leave it alone, we promith!"  
  
"You just concentrate on growing that tooth back,"  
  
Kaya giggled from behind a hand as she watched Usopp stumble down the stone steps before the Matilda Charity House, looking harrassed two kids trailed after him, clinging onto his trousers.  
  
"Let GO!"  
  
The engineer bellowed,  
  
"I'm HUNGRY, I'd like to have LUNCH--"  
  
"--Would you like to eat it with me?"  
  
Kaya asked brightly as she stepped out from aside the lamp-post. Usopp's irritated exterior dropped as his jaw did.  
  
"Kaya? Are you-- are you allowed to--?"  
  
She smiled at his surprise, pleased at the fact he had managed to recognise her even with her purple tints and her hair tucked under a cap. The kids let go of Usopp's legs and looked up at the blond girl curiously. Then they giggled as they ran up the steps.  
  
"Later, Uthopp!"  
  
One of them called out as they laughed and returned to the orphanage. Usopp shot after them a scowl before he walked up to Kaya with an apologetic grin.  
  
"I thought your manager didn't let you out that easily,"  
  
He said. Kaya smiled brightly.  
  
"Merii doesn't! I was supposed to go straight home from a photo-shoot at Horlock's Street, but I decided I'm going to skive off a magazine interview tonight."  
  
"You're going to worry him like that."  
  
Usopp said with a sweatdrop. She glanced at him from behind her tints, seeing that somehow a frazzled-looking strand of hair had managed to stick up from his ponytail to stand up at the back. He blinked in surprise as she burst out laughing.  
  
"You're mighty cheerful today,"  
  
He said sounding delighted. She felt herself glow at his delight, somehow greatly happy that he was. He took her arm cheerfully as he asked in a mock-formal voice,  
  
"Where shall I escort you today, ma'am?"  
  
"Anywhere you want to, sir,"  
  
She said, and he tapped the end of his long nose as he declared,  
  
"I do believe burgers are in line of delicacies these days. It's also about the only affordable amount of money I've got to treat the both of us, but I assure you that is only coincidence."  
  
Kaya smiled warmly as she held his arm more closely to her.  
  
"That sounds fine. What were you doing in the MCH today?"  
  
He started, then began to shake his head with a long-suffering sigh.  
  
"You won't believe this,"  
  
Usopp said, still shaking his head,  
  
"But some kids messed up the wiring for an electric fan with a glass of milk and some cookie crumbs, and the next thing I know is a nightmare on Earth. Kids getting caught on an extra hyper fan whirling around at the speed of sound, Mrs. Ella fainting from running around in circles in attempts to retrieve them..."  
  
Usopp's face split into a grin as Kaya burst into a fit of giggles.  
  
  
  
  
  
Wiping tears angrily from her eyes, Nami huffed as she flopping onto her bed. Damn it! Damn that idiotic rubber captain of hers!  
  
'No Nami,'  
  
She thought to herself quickly, stricken by her line of thinking,   
  
'No-- not _your_ captain, remember? Your past life's captain. There's no need to take part in the madness starting to stir up. I don't have to apply myself, I don't--'  
  
_"Nami-san! I'll protect your oranges for you, no matter what!"_  
  
Nami blinked. What had been a pillow and tear-stained sheets moments ago had somehow morphed into wooden planks. As she looked around upwards, she found herself having to squint out bright sunlight relentlessly burning into her lids and highlighting the black-clad chef happily waving to her from aside a large collection of orange trees. The sun filtered through his blonde hair and somehow managed to brighten his cheerful and pleased smile even further.  
  
She felt her own mouth move and speak words she did not command. As his name rolled out of her mouth in three syllables, a happy sort of flush filled his cheeks as he swooned at her. The corners of her lips lifted in a warm smile at the sight of him jumping around, swatting away Luffy's hands away from the oranges.  
  
_"Why, of course! Anything for the loveliest treasure of all Blues!"_  
  
His voice held a strange echo as he flashed a cheesy grin at her before literally attacking the captain. She heard herself chuckle, and felt herself feel lighter and happier-- happy in the fact that she knew that these people would always be here for her, and she finally had a rock to rely on, an anchor which she would not betray...  
  
**CRASH.**  
  
The next thing she knew, she was blinking rain out of her eyes as thunder crashed and rolled as sheets of rain pelted relentlessly onto the deck and soaking her to the skin with an icy coldness.  
  
Her eyes flickered from cruel amber eyes to her hands. They were soaked in blood, and as she made a movement as though to try and wipe the crimson off her shirt, she found her clothes had been stained with the same irremovable red.  
  
Then her view swerved up again, snapping her head up in shock as through the thick blanket of rainwater and whipping winds smothering her, she saw a thick beam of bright-blue-white, pulsating a terrifying aura as it shot towards her at an immeasurable speed--  
  
Lightning flashed, illuminating the skies and the moment as his hands pressed onto her back and shoulder and gently curled fingers around her wet skin in a greatly protective hold. Before she could scream or even look in his direction, he had pushed her out of the way with all of his might. Her eyes widened as he smiled at her.  
  
He was smiling at her. As though in choppy slow motion, she saw his smile brightly through the rain as though he were emitting a sort of light. Then it grew to a painfully bright extent, forcing her eyelids shut. But his smile was embedded into her eyes, and she found herself screaming out his name for all she was worth, a desperate and horrified plea weaving into her voice as she shrieked.  
  
_"Nami-san?"_  
  
Her eyes opened to see him looking at her eagerly as he shoved a plate of sugar cookies under her nose, a waft of the deliciously warm scent meeting her senses-- but she was crying. Why was he still smiling at her? Wasn't he angry? He'd died in her place. She was sure she'd hate anyone who'd make her die. Anyone who should have died. Wouldn't she?  
  
_But what if it was your choice?_  
  
The question an inner-voice probed at sounded sickening to her. Why would she choose to do something so-- so painfully sacrificing? She was a back-stabber, acceptable for partners and friends but-- to give your life was just-- stupid, wasn't it...?  
  
She watched the cook chatter to Zoro and Usopp about the amount of salt in rice-balls as he sat rather comfortably on Luffy's back, as to prevent him from eating up the last of their meat stock, feeling helplessly lost. He glanced at her with a sweet smile, and the soft glow of the sun on the deck abruptly plunged into stormy grey as inky waves crashed into the ship, the splattering rain not enough to block out that same, sweet smile as he gave himself for her--  
  
--and just the day before, when they'd talked rather mindlessly about classes as they ate the cookies he'd offered, she saw the same boyish lilt in his talk and constant smiles, the same eagerness--  
  
And again she was stumbling around the deck as the rain poured down, pouring into her own voice a deep fear she had not wanted to come true, a reckless rage seeping into her blood as confusion overcame her in a tide-- and visions of his concern back at Drum Island, of his excited yelp as she accepted an offer of a drink from him, of his happiness of just being near her enveloped her eyes despite the heavy rain.  
  
"Why did you do it?"  
  
She whispered confusedly as she saw him serve food on the ship as he mused out loud about his dreams,  
  
"Why would you want to give everything you had for one person? Why would you do it for me?"  
  
But his smiles didn't do anything to console her, and she felt the same reckless anger gush into her like a boiling poison.  
  
"_Why?!_"  
  
The sound of a load of cans tumbling onto the ground shattered the visions of pain in front of her eyes, and she heard a voice exclaim,  
  
"Nami?!"  
  
She turned her eyes to her friend, and realised she was on the floor, her face covered with a thick sheen of tears. Vivi bent down and grabbed her shoulders, giving her a hard shake as she cried out anxiously in effort to take Nami away from her unfocused grasp,  
  
"What's wrong? _What's wrong?!_"  
  
And her blue-haired friend's face dissolved into a blonde man's face as he asked her worriedly, not knowing she hadn't been making a face at the food but at Luffy eating like a starved elephant, and her laughing at his needless concern--  
  
"Is something wrong?! Tell me, Nami!! Are you feeling all right?"  
  
But Nami didn't hear Vivi's voice at all -- she felt hands on her shoulders, remembered--  
  
_ "Is something wrong, Nami-san? You-- you don't seem very-- are you feeling all right?"_  
  
And he hadn't been angry. No, he still wasn't angry at her for ripping his life and dreams away at her expense. She tried to hammer boards to shield herself from his burning gaze of genuine concern, but all he did was thrust himself in the way so she ended up embedding nails into him instead. His eyes reached for her as he gave a small sweet smile.  
  
But even then... she hadn't been telling the truth at all, and she felt her tears dribble past her chin as she heard her spite-filled words,  
  
_ "Like you really like me-- as though you really freaking care-- I find you repulsive.** I hate you.**"_  
  
She choked. That wasn't right-- that wasn't right at all. _He was supposed to be the one who hated her._ Her hands gripped her head, trying to rid herself of the powerful headache threatening to tear her brain apart as she tried to understand...  
  
She began to cry in earnest as she felt her throat constrict tightly at the thought of herself eating so calmly with him. How could she? _How could she do this to him?_ He had sacrificed himself completely without question, and she had torn herself away to spare herself from the pain. Her hand clamped over her mouth as she realised with a shock how disgustingly selfish she had been--  
  
_I find you repulsive.** I hate you.**_  
  
She didn't. Nami realised with a jolt who those words, the words that had come from the heart -- her soul -- had really been directed to.  
  
"Nami-san?"  
  
She blinked, more tears spilling over as her hazel eyes lifted to meet Sanji's shocked ones from the open dorm door, cans of soda littering the floor around his feet. And she felt it again. The deep knife-stabs at her chest, the searing pain that seemed to resonate from the centre of her brain. The building disgust, anger and horror finally crashed open a dam as he made one move towards her, that damn familiar concern imprinted on his face.  
  
Nami let out a blood-curdling scream that stopped Sanji in his tracks, freezing Vivi's actions as she was pouring water into a glass, two Koi tablets in her other hand. The glass tipped and the water splattered over the table and floor as Nami grabbed Vivi's arm roughly and pushed her angrily out of the door. Startled, Vivi let out a cry of protest, but Nami slammed a fist into Sanji's ribcage hard enough to send him stumbling back into Vivi, effectively pushing them out of the dorm.  
  
"Nami!!"  
  
"Nami-san?!!"  
  
The door slammed in their faces as Nami rested her head into her palms as she let out choked sobs into her fists.  
  
"Nami-san? Please-- please let us through!"  
  
The door-handle jangled as he said desperately,  
  
"Kale said it would be difficult-- you have to let us help! You--"  
  
Another heart-stopping scream cut his voice off shortly, punctuated with the sound of breaking glass and ceramic material, a clatter sounding as text-books fell in a tumble to the floor from Nami sweeping them off her desk, the lamp following next as she continued her ruthless throwing of belongings around.  
  
Unable to stand the pain any longer, Vivi turned on her heel and left the floor. Sanji had never seen her look so white, nor had he ever seen so many tears leaking past her cheeks.  
  
The model hammered at the door, calling out the navigator's name, but was only responded with the crashing of glass and mugs and the occasional out-burst of frustratedly angered screams.  
  
It was nearly two hours later when Nami forced her shaky legs to stand from the desk, kick her way through the mass of broken glass and ripped papers cluttering the floor and pull the door open. There was no one there, and there was an odd mix of rushing relief and seeping disappointment that flooded her mind. But as she started to shut the door, she noticed something dangling from the handle.  
  
Sliding it off, she found a small package in tissue-paper. Unwrapping it she found several soft muffins decorated with strawberries and icing.  
  
She stood still for a long time with the door half open and the package cradled in her hands, tears silently coursing past already stained cheeks.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: I have a feeling the chapters are going to get a bit longer... I'd like to get the plot moving along, as I'm sure you'll be somewhat ecstatic to hear. Uhm, HURRAH!!! D I'm two days early in my update! ^_^ The next update plan: same day, Tuesday the 22nd. Whaaa? You say. Er, I've got to return to school on Wednesday, see. ESF is a little weird in scheduling. If this SARS thing continues any longer..... *sighs* I had something planned for today, but I apologise - I won't be able to bring it out to the open any time soon. T-T Gomen! I hope it'll be up and going by Sunday... *bows to readers* thank you for standing my awful writing until now... T-T* You guys are the best. *hugs all reviewers***


	38. What Happens When You Are Greedy

  
  
"I'm sure she'll be back soon, sir,"  
  
Merii said nervously as he flicked through his charge's schedule,  
  
"She just completed a photo-shoot at Horlock's Street for the first issue of 'Primus', I'm sure she'll be back soon..."  
  
"I'm quite all right with waiting,"  
  
Krow said politely as he poked at his palm pilot, raising his eyes up to flit against the manager's face,  
  
"Kaya is certainly growing an independant streak in her lately..."  
  
Kaya's manager chuckled lightly, to Krow's unpleasant surprise, and he gave an enthusiastic response of,  
  
"Yes, I agree. Miss Kaya is truly earning some more self-respect these days."  
  
Krow narrowed his eyes behind his hands as he lifted the edge of his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. If only it wouldn't ruin the plan, and if only he'd had his Cat Claws with him... that annoying excuse of a manager would be sprawling on the floor, dead as a nail and in pieces... Not the sore job he had done before, leaving just his breath to make him suffer and realise his foolish misunderstandings as he slowly died, but a fairly quick (though painful) death...  
  
_He could feel and hear the crunch of glasses beneath his foot as the glass splintered and cracked apart, perfectly metaphoring his plan to Kaya... An innocent, well-intentioned thing that would be ruthlessly torn apart without a shred of mercy. He felt the rushing joy and excitement as he realised he didn't have to bow to the pathetic idiot of a girl anymore. He didn't have to care for the weak fledgling. He could finally, after all these years, kick her aside like he had been tempted to so many times...  
  
The feeling of each blade sinking into flesh and ripping in apart had never felt so good... It was as though he was finally killing, finally silencing this yielding, pathetic part of himself, watching as a possible hitch to the plan being easily detained felt wonderful... and he could not help smiling widely, even as the blood thickly flecked the impeccably white walls, when he heard her name die like she was going to on the poor servant's lips..._  
  
"Oh, I think I see her coming!"  
  
Merii said, looking out the window at the hint of blonde hair approaching the mansion. Krow stood up slowly, the blemished walls of blood never leaving his cold eyes as he said softly,  
  
"I'll go out to greet her."  
  
"Of course, sir,"  
  
Merii said, smiling. Krow felt his fingers itch, and refrained from exercising a good swipe with just a twiddling of his third finger and thumb to ensure a good portion of of the heart got torn out--  
  
Shaking his head sharply as to clear it from the images so he wouldn't have to face Kaya with a strained smile, Krow carefully shut the gate and waited for Kaya to turn around the corner of the street.  
  
As she came round, he saw her hiccuping aside a rather cheerful looking young man with a long nose... wait a minute... that was Kaya's 'Usopp-san', wasn't it? With a jolt, Krow remembered the heavy blow across the jaw he'd received, and the satisfactory kick he'd gotten into his stomach. Of course! Now he remembered who the fool was!  
  
This was the person who had completely and utterly destroyed and ruined his plans and stolen Kaya from him even before he'd known Krow's true identity. To make Kaya laugh had never been his strong point even before then, and a fire flared inside him as he realised what was happening now... Kaya was being taken away again, being led away from the steps he had been teaching her to walk.  
  
Krow wondered briefly how many of those morons from back in his previous life actually resided nearby him. Usopp's resemblance to his old self was startling, and Krow wouldn't be surprised if Kaya had already seen him for who he had been once before.  
  
Usopp glanced up, perhaps sensing a bit of Krow's intense glare, and saw the manager of Feline Incorporates. Looking startled, he gave Kaya a quick squeeze on the shoulder before rushing off the opposite direction, back the way he'd come. Kaya walked quickly back to the mansion gate, tried to get in but was blocked by Krow.  
  
"Isn't that the fan-boy?"  
  
Krow asked stiffly, unable to keep the distate out of his voice. Kaya glanced up at Krow, her eyes widening. He rarely showed dislike so strongly, especially towards someone he did not know very much.  
  
"Klahadol, I told you-- that's Usopp-san. Remember? He saw you one morning..."  
  
_Remember? My God, does this girl even know what the hell she's bringing on with that word?_  
  
"Yes, I believe I do,"  
  
He said coolly, his eyes still training at the corner the long-nose had disappeared around,  
  
"I suppose he knows you from your fame? What made you want to get to know someone so _different_ and so much _lower_ than you, Kaya? Haven't I taught you anything in these past few years?"  
  
Kaya's violet eyes looked sincerely hurt as they flickered past Krow's stern expression.  
  
"I don't know what you mean,"  
  
She started in a voice that was trembling slightly out of suppressed anger and surprise, when she was cut off abruptly by Krow gripped her arms tightly and giving her a sharp shake.  
  
"Listen to me, Kaya. I know you seem to feel that you're young, and well, you deserve to have a free rein or whatnot, but your-- your parents, they... They would be highly disappointed in me if they knew I'd let you gone astray. Met the wrong people, or people unsuitable to your standard..."  
  
Her eyes softened at the mention of her parents, and she shrugged his grasp off as she explained to him,  
  
"You've got it all wrong, Klahadol. My parents would have been delighted to meet him."  
  
Smiling briefly at the man who had taken care of her for all these years, Kaya turned and started back towards her house. She stopped abruptly when Krow's cold voice cut into her warm thoughts,  
  
"What, because he's funny?"  
  
She whipped around, her eyes rounded with shock at the strangely un-Krow-like choice of words and the sharp and icy edge in his voice. A small muffled yelp sounded from her as she was roughly pushed against as Krow made his way briskly past her to the door.  
  
He realised she looked paler now, and that secretly pleased him for a moment as he thought of her sickly, weak form that was easy to bend to will... until he realised she had been rosy moments ago from being with Usopp. _She'd been blushing the entire time._ Anger shot white-hot through him as he realised she was going to go to him if he wasn't careful.  
  
_You can't do that, can you, Kaya?_  
  
He thought, glaring at her as she hastily ran up the stairs,  
  
_You're not allowed to do that. I won't permit you to run from me like this. You belong to me, Kaya, remember?_  
  
A strange smile twisted Krow's lips as he watched her retreating back up to her room, oblivious to the brainless chatter behind from a thoroughly excited manager.  
  
  
  
  
  
Zoro rolled his eyes as he shoved a whole rack of potato chips into Kale's waiting arms as he said,  
  
"Are you sure God doesn't mind you using the RLB card like that?"  
  
"Well, they're being used for provisions, so of course He wouldn't mind,"  
  
Kale said airily as he threw all the crisps onto the counter and started piling instant noodles aside it. Zoro shook his head, and pulled out a stack of batteries.  
  
"Think He'd mind if we bought batteries?"  
  
"Doubt it. Chuck it here..."  
  
Ten minutes later, Kale eagerly pressed forward his RLB card as the Eighty-Twelve cashier named the price, and within minutes the two were out of the convenience store clutching eight bags full of 'provisions', which included excessive amounts of doughtnuts, frozen pizza, orange juice and batteries.  
  
"Zoroooo,"  
  
Kale started to wheedle after twenty seconds of steady walking,  
  
"You're so much bigger than this little body I'm in, why don't you hold it all? Go on, you're strong enough, I know it--"  
  
His attempt to shove all the luggage onto Zoro was less than successful when the green-head scowled and picked up his pace, leaving the young boy behind by several metres almost immediately as he retorted,  
  
"Get off it, hold your share."  
  
"You're mean. You're a big, fat, cabbage-headed meanie that--"  
  
"Stop whining."  
  
"Meanie. Meanie. Meanie."  
  
Seeing that his accusations were not making the swordsman relent at all, Kale entered into a continuous and quickening chant of:  
  
"Meanie meanie meanie meaniemeaniemeanie meenymeenymeeny minymi--"  
  
Finally irked, Zoro whipped his head back as he walked on to glower at the small boy who shut his trap as soon as he saw the annoyance in the green-head's eyes, and let a small 'eep' as he growled,  
  
"I'm still not holding your bag, all right? Now shut the hell up and quit--"  
  
He never got to complete his sentence and tell Kale what to quit because just at that precise moment, he bashed his head quite harshly into someone else's. His world blacked out for a split second, and blinking stars out of his eyes he realised he had crashed into someone while walking without looking. He opened his mouth to apologise, but his eyes widened as he found himself staring straight into chocolate-brown eyes behind thick lenses.  
  
Looking unfocused, she started to mumble an apology as she bent over to pick up her bag at the same time as Zoro did. Their heads hit again with a bang, and this time it really did shake Zoro out of focus himself for several moments. He heard Kale start to snicker, and was about to snap at him when he was surprised to hear a gruff voice growl,  
  
"What's the hold-up, Tashigi?"  
  
A broad man appeared behind her while she was still trying to regain proper conciousness, and his face split into a irritated scowl.  
  
"Watch where you're going,"  
  
He snapped, and for a moment Zoro thought the silver-haired man had been talking to him. However, he realised the man's eyes were trained on Tashigi, and grasping her wrist he began to drag the girl away from the cafe as he threw over his shoulder at Zoro,  
  
"Sorry about that."  
  
Something like a dead-weight seemed to drop into Zoro's stomach as he watched Tashigi, still looking dazed, be dragged away by the strangely familiar-looking man. He didn't know why; he really, honestly did not know why, but something about seeing her just now made him feel distinctly bad. Make that horrible. Horribly bad.  
  
Realising he was standing there with his mouth open while staring after the girl, Zoro mentally shook himself and turned around saying,  
  
"C'mon Kale, let's go..."  
  
Then he realised Kale had a hood well pulled over his head, his head bent in a way lights flashed off his glasses in an effective way of hiding his eyes. Zoro blinked, wondering what was up, when someone skated straight past him, throwing back a 'sorry, dude!' as he zoomed away, shortly followed by another person on a skateboard. He watched the two skaters disappear into the lights ahead, and glanced down at Kale who now lowered his hood.  
  
"Is that... someone from our previous life?"  
  
Zoro asked as the two continued to walk, Kale looking noticeably subdued,  
  
"I mean, we thought... we saw one of those guys before, see, and we thought he was Luffy."  
  
Kale gave a wry smile.  
  
"Weird of you to think that. By any rate, I don't think you really need to know. But you did see him once or twice, I assure you..."  
  
Zoro decided not to question the matter as they continued down, Kale considerably cheering up as Zoro bought him a corndog. Then Kale, who had been studying the receipt from Eighty-Twelve, let out an anguished cry.  
  
"Noooo! God has cut my funds!"  
  
He brandished the receipt to Zoro, who amusedly studied the money supposedly left in the RLB card - zero.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Maaaan, that scared me!"  
  
Usopp muttered as he tightened his 'kerchief round the back of his head,  
  
"Scary glare... scary...."  
  
A small smile quirked his lips involuntarily as he remembered his lunch with Kaya. She looked a lot more tired than usual, though she seemed to be covering it up with exuberance he had never remembered her having, and though he knew she had been pretending to be a lot better than she was actually feeling he felt glad she seemed to be looking better... She obviously had something weighing on her mind currently, and Usopp wasn't prepared to question her until she was ready to talk about it.  
  
The phone ring abruptly brought his train of thought to a halt and startled him for the second time that day.  
  
"It's Sanji."  
  
Usopp blinked. The cook sounded thoroughly put out about something.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
The engineer asked, and was cut halfway through the 'up' as Sanji burst out,  
  
"I don't understand it!!'  
  
"Er, understand what?"  
  
"Well-- see, er-- uh... I mean, Usopp, is Nami-san always so... uh..."  
  
Imagining Nami's sword-like tongue had gotten Sanji's case, Usopp offered,  
  
"Articulate?"  
  
"Not exactly how I'd put it."  
  
Usopp blinked, before saying rather sarcastically,  
  
"Inarticulate?"  
  
"Closer."  
  
What? Now he was interested.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Er... I'm not sure. That's the problem... I--"  
  
There was a hesitant pause before Sanji said uncertainly,  
  
"Even back on the Going Merry, I always wondered how she kept all her pain in so easily, and how she ever got through a lot of matters in her life without spilling it out to anyone."  
  
"Well, she grew up like that."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Remember? Her sister told us about it."  
  
Sanji gave a very surprised sound before admitting,  
  
"I forgot about that. No wonder I constantly wondered about her... I mean, at times it's admirable, but at others... I just don't get it."  
  
"That's because you're a lot more expressive than she is,"  
  
Usopp reminded him, and Sanji groaned.  
  
"I don't understand it. She didn't hate me so much before... and just yesterday we shared cookies together, and she acted perfectly civilly towards me. Today she went nuts or something... I mean I want to understand her, but she won't let me,"  
  
His voice seemed to end on a desperate whine, and Usopp was forcefully reminded of a time back in their previous life.  
  
_"Nami-san didn't finish her apple-pie dessert! No! Did I not make it scrumptious enough for her delicate tongue to taste? I don't understand myself! How could I have let that happen?"  
  
"I think she was just full..."  
  
"Wrong, long-nose! I failed to make a satisfactory dessert for her! This is the worst thing that has happened to me since I got on this ship..."_  
  
Usopp chuckled lowly to himself as he heard Nami tell him discreetly,  
  
_"I had seconds of his seafood curry. Come on. What does he want me to do, bloat up like a balloon?"_  
  
"You need to give her time, Sanji,"  
  
Usopp said firmly,  
  
"She's not used companionship, and it'll be a while before she will be. My best advice to you is to give her some space."  
  
"Space?"  
  
Sanij echoed, sounding dumbfounded.  
  
"Yeah, like some space for her to understand herself."  
  
Usopp explained in a more gentler tone,  
  
"She's taken care of herself before, and until she truly needs it, I think you should leave her alone for a while."  
  
There was a pause before Sanji asked in an almost timid voice,  
  
"But I made muffins."  
  
"Leave them in front of her door if she doesn't want to talk to you,"  
  
Usopp said, thinking of a very similar time he had left a batch of chocolate chip cookies out for her to eat and she had called him the next day.  
  
"You don't need to be there for her to know you're there for her. Sometimes, it's true to say that you never know what you're missing until it's gone. Or whatever."  
  
"Right."  
  
There was a pause before Sanji said very quickly,  
  
"See you."  
  
Usopp flipped the phone shut, sighing as he tucked the phone back into his bag. He hoped Nami would open up to the chef soon; he was pretty sure if she didn't soon she'd drive both the model and herself crazy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: I'm never going to get anything done, by this rate. T-T Arigatou for your kind, kind, KIND words. T-T* Trust me, though, I did get a lot of opinions off my sister and nukie... and I have a lot of electronic notes to help me keep in check with all the characters. I know Smoker is sort of OOC, and if you think about it, all the characters are in their own respect for a lot of obvious reasons. *bows* Thank you, thank you. About Zoro and his college funds - he has parents, whereas Sanji doesn't. I guess I could write up life stories one day, if I really wanted to. :P Thanks for bearing with me uptil now.... I know I make a lot of slips, and I'm just really thankful you guys forgive me for them. *huggles reviewers with a grateful sniffle***


	39. Voices

  
  
There was a sensation of a thousand screws cramming through the side of her abdomen and her temple; keeling over, Nami tried to breathe in deeply in attempt to clear the strange smothering sensation in her head. However, she found that her throat hurt as though she had run a marathon, and only managed to suck in shallow breath as she fell out of her bed.  
  
"V-Vivi,"  
  
She barely managed to choke out the name, but her eyes found the bed across empty and just as neat as it had been that morning. Her sight wavered and she watched the room revolve around her dizzily before gritting her teeth and forcing herself to stand up. She tried to make her way, half-staggering to the table so she could get another sleeping pill, but instead tripped over her feet and fell with a crash into an upturned chair.  
  
Her head fell with a harsh bang against a table leg, and Nami clutched at her temples. She would have berated herself for being so clumsy, but at the moment she was feeling horrified at how little the physical pain seemed to measure against the throbbing in her brain.  
  
The world still seemed to be swirling; something was obscuring her vision... with her cheek still plastered to the cold floor, she felt it melt and change to the grainy surface of wood, and her eyes followed the strange, gentle swaying of the dark silhouettes of the table legs and the crumpled blanket against her bed, as though on waves.  
  
She squinted, can could just make out more silhouettes... of sleeping figures. Suddenly, a burning heat seared through her body, and her head spun as she tried to get a grasp on what she was seeing.  
  
_Was...was this when... I-- m-my past self was sick...? Back in the Going Merry--_  
  
She could make out Luffy's scar and Usopp's long nose amongst a tangle of material, along with a snoring Zoro with his sword-sheaths strewn on the floor beside him as Karue provided feathery pillows for them. And Vivi was quietly sleeping beside her, a light sheen of moonlight reflecting off her blue hair... the scene dissolved into a dark mess of grey before returning her sight to her room with a thud.  
  
She felt an involuntary smile light up her lips.  
  
_Of course... I was so happy that they were so worried. I don't know all of the qualities friendship has to offer, yet... but, I... I realised that night that they worry about me. They actually care to think and feel concern... not because I'm a navigator... because-- because it's **me**..._  
  
To her surprise, tears began to spill over her already swollen eyes; she wanted to wipe them away, but found that she couldn't feel anything but deadened nerves in her arms.  
  
Without warning, a derisive snort sounded in her head.  
  
That's right. That's why they want you to help them now.  
  
"Wh-wh---wha---?"  
  
Nami found her throat too constricted to speak properly, but that didn't stop her eyes from darting about wildly in shock at the sudden voice.  
  
Don't be stupid. You know who I am.  
  
The navigator swallowed with difficulty before thinking tentatively,  
  
_You're.... my past self, aren't you?_  
  
Or in other words, I'm your soul. I'm _you_, actually.  
  
_I don't believe this. First I go through extremely disconcerting visions, and now, I'm talking to myself. I'm growing schizophrenic, aren't I--_  
  
Wrong! Your denial split us apart. Or at least, it's about to.  
  
_What are you talking about? Split what apart?_  
  
Think about it this way. You have a past self, and a present self. No matter how you look at it, you are both the same person. But if there is denial, then two personalities are forced to form from separation. In other words... I'm what you're trying to reject.  
  
_...But I thought you said that you're my soul._  
  
Exactly. Remember what Luffy said?  
  
_...."You're ripping yourself apart." I thought he was being metaphorical or something._  
  
Another snort of laughter.  
  
Luffy? **Metaphorical?**  
  
_So... if I get rid of you, my soul, whatever, I'll stop having these stupid dreams?_  
  
There was a dead silence. Then,  
  
What the freaking hell in all four oceans are you talking about?  
  
_You said it yourself. You're my past self, created from my denial. And we're about to split apart._  
  
A sense of urgency filled the identical voice in Nami's head.  
  
Don't tell me you have no idea of what implications breaking a soul away from its body means!  
  
_So I won't go to Heaven. Big deal._  
  
Am I really this moronic, or is it just the fact I'm really planning on denying my own soul again? God help me, I want to get back into myself. To hell with it, **I AM YOU.**  
  
_NO YOU AREN'T!!!_  
  
Nami exploded, her eyes narrowing as she grit her teeth,  
  
_I'm just a normal university student attending GLU, okay?! I don't have to do anything about this supposed 'past life' of mine! Kale's a jerk for expecting it from me!_  
  
No he's not! **Everyone is!**  
  
_I can't do it! You can't make me do it, either._  
  
You mean you won't let yourself do it.  
  
_Stop trying to screw me over! I-- I--_  
  
She heard Luffy yell out for her villagers to hear she was his partner, saw the rim of his straw-hat on her head; saw Zoro protect her from Buggy's pirates by the cannon, heard him taunt her for being too weak to watch anyone die at her expense; heard Usopp yell at her for being idiotic for trying to run across a patch of tack-stars, saw him grappling ropes at the dock of Logue Town; saw Sanji offer his latest plate of delicacies to her, heard his voice call out her name in his cheerful tilt.  
  
And finally, for the first time since it unconciously occurred to her earlier on as she tore the dormitory apart, admitted it to herself.  
  
_**I want to go back.**_  
  
Tears began to drip past her chin as she crouched into a ball against her bed.  
  
_I want to return to the sea where I'd sketch out maps and settle at the front deck. I want to smell the salt in the winds and the orange scent from the trees behind the cabin. I want to see-- see everyone do everything so carefreely -- see Luffy fish, Usopp experiment as he lies outrageously to gullible Chopper, Zoro snore, and Sanji cook something ridiculously lavish. I do. I want to go back._  
  
...Then...  
  
_You are me, right? Then-- then you know why. **You know why.** He-- he died for me. I can't take it. I don't understand him, or any sort of sacrifice like that. Why? What am I for him to do that? I never asked for it... I never-- I'll never understand. If-- if--_  
  
Her own thoughts cracked as she twisted blankets into her fists as she sobbed openly into the fabric.  
  
_If that happened-- if that situation were to arise in my life-- I would never have done that. What am I doing in a crew full of people who are knit together in trust and unspoken friendship and understanding? I can hardly understand myself, let alone what that stupid chef did. What-- right-- do I have to be sacrificed for? I can't go back... I don't deserve to go back...!_  
  
A hand gripped her shirt over her chest as she whispered out loud,  
  
"I want to go back... but... don't you see...? I... I _can't._"  
  
Full-blown pain wracked through her body before soaking into her brain; she cried uncontrollably, the lamenting clamour in her head too loud for her to be able to hear what her soul was trying to desperately tell her.  
  
Then... another voice filled her head.  
  
**You don't have to go through this.**  
  
"Wh-what?"  
  
Nami stammered, looking around once more, but knew it had to be another voice. But whose on earth could it be? It had muffled the pain, in any case, and was now speaking in soothing tones.  
  
**You heard me. You don't have to suffer like this, little girl. If control is slipping through your fingers... if you can't stand the pain... _you can give the control to someone else..._**  
  
NO!!!  
  
The shout startled Nami, and the next thing she knew she could only describe as an excruciating clawing in the confines of her skull. Tears of pain leaked past her cheeks as she tried to make it stop; her fingernails dug into her scalp as she began to howl unearthly wails of pain and frustration.  
  
Enraged voices cried and snarled in her head viciously; she gripped her head and screamed, wanting to make the voices go away-- to stop tormenting her-- wanted to blot it out, to blot--  
  
Her vision blacked out and her mind fell blissfully blank as she crumpled onto the floor, unconcious from exhaustion.  
  
  
  
  
  
Merii was unsure of how to approach the topic, but remembering Krow's reaction the previous day made Merii determined to ask her. As Kaya settled down on the sofa and opened up a novel, her manager cautiously settled next to her. This caught her attention immediately.  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"I was just... wondering about the long-nosed fellow you seem to be acquainted with recently."  
  
He said slowly. Her eyes seemed to narrow as she replied just as slowly,  
  
"Yes, what about Usopp-san?"  
  
He decided to get straight to the point.  
  
"I haven't got the best of best feelings of him... I mean, there are certain _classes_ some people should follow, and... I don't know... how do you know each other?"  
  
"That's a little difficult to explain."  
  
She admitted, flushing a little. He frowned at the reaction.  
  
"So he asked you for an autograph, did he?"  
  
"Er, no..."  
  
"Or a photograph or two? Perhaps a free poster, or CDs?"  
  
Kaya frowned.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Please don't take me wrong, miss, but with your state of mind... quite easy to manipu--"  
  
"What are you exactly implying here?"  
  
He ran back to original course as he continued as though he hadn't heard her,  
  
"Maybe he wants to introduce you to his friends? Get in touch with other actors or actresses?"  
  
"Merii--"  
  
"Did he seem interested in your way of life?"  
  
Her manager added quickly,  
  
"Ask anything about the mansion?"  
  
"Why do you want to know that?"  
  
So he had asked! Merii avoided her cool gaze as he stared into his cup of green tea, wondering how to explain that this was how stalkers and money-grubbing people got what they wanted.  
  
"_Those_ type of people always have a motive, Miss Kaya. You're too innocent to realise that's not how the world works. So he was interested in riches, was he? Did he ask you for anything? Any favours? Did he want something-- say... like a loan?"  
  
Kaya slammed her book down onto the coffee table, her eyes flashing furiously at the startled manager.  
  
"Don't you dare say that about Usopp-san, ever again!"  
  
She said, her voice raised to an angered pitch Merii had never had to hear from her before,  
  
"The only thing he's ever been interested in is nothing materialistic!!"  
  
With that, she threw a final glare over her shoulder as she collected her book and ran up the stairs, looking terribly affronted.  
  
Merii sat, his jaw dropped open at the unexpected display of pure anger from the usually quiet and demure girl. Then his brows furrowed in deep concern.  
  
_I knew it! That Usopp or whatever is poisoning the sweet soul of Miss Kaya! He-- he actually twisted her perspective enough to yell at **me**! Oh... how can I stop Miss Kaya from making the wrong choices before it's too late?_  
  
  
  
  
  
"...and I promise, I swear, I really really promise I'll never use the money to buy another pack of bubblegum again. Amen."  
  
Opening his eyes hopefully as he untangled his fingers from their tight clasp, Kale inserted the RLB card into the slot of the RLB value measuring machine. He drooped as the numbers that popped up at the screen said 'No value left. Please use a Red Line Bank Value-adder to add value' for about the fifty-third time. He pressed the button next to the slot and deftly caught the card as it popped out. Then he closed his eyes and put his hands together again.  
  
"God, I know You want me to stop asking, but I really can't live without another bar of chocolate for another hour. Please, please please please refill the RLB card again. I promise, really I do, that I won't use it to buy any batteries, sugar doughnuts, packets of icing sugar, action figures, candy-apples, whole roast turkeys, macadamia nut-filled chocolates, sesame ice-cream cones, toffee, double-decker super chocolate cones, butter-scotch candies, chocolate milk, cream-filled cakes or crisps ever again, and I promise, I swear, I really really promise I'll never use the money to buy another pack of bubblegum again. Amen."  
  
He eagerly stuck the card back into the machine. Nothing, again. He sighed, grabbing the RLB card and getting ready to start praying again when an incredulous exclamation sounded behind him.  
  
"_Kale?!_"  
  
Surprised, the black-haired child turned around-- only to be smacked across the face with earth-shattering force. Trying to blink stars out of his eyes as he readjusted the glasses now precariously balancing at the end of his nose, Kale peered into the eyes of the offender -- and let out a gasp of shock.  
  
"_Rendel?!_"  
  
"That's right,"  
  
The girl hissed, her eyes narrowed as she grasped the front folds of Kale's red jumper into her fists,  
  
"Now tell me what the hell you're taking so long to do!"  
  
"Erm,"  
  
Kale said, but there wasn't much point to it because she just rattled on, her dark hair looking frazzled as her violet eyes flashed angrily.  
  
"I don't believe that you're here! I nearly didn't recognise you but then who would, we're in other forms, but everyone knows Monkey D. Luffy Upstairs, right? Still-- the eyes, -- nearly didn't realise, 'cause the glasses nearly threw me off. Still, realised who you were, though. So what are you _doing_ here? I mean, you should be here, but you shouldn't be at the same time! I meant, what are you _still_ doing here?! God sent you here like what, 17 years ago, and you-- you're-- oh my goodness,"  
  
She gasped, her eyes widening as she let go of Kale and stared at his form fully,  
  
"You're-- you're--!"  
  
"Twelve years old,"  
  
Kale said deflatedly,  
  
"I know."  
  
Her cheeks grew red as she yelped,  
  
"_You reincarnated yourself?!!_"  
  
"I got a favour off Rainte,"  
  
He said lamely, feeling himself shrink as Rendel glared angrily at him.  
  
"You mean Rainte reincarnated you without telling anyone?!"  
  
"God knows. He knows everything,"  
  
He began, when she yelled,  
  
"You could have told _me_!!"  
  
"Well, what the @#$% are YOU doing here?"  
  
He snapped, and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"I was just told to keep an eyes on you to make sure you weren't bungling things up."  
  
"_God_ sent you?!"  
  
"Of course He did. Now I see why, if you killed yourself at-- let's see-- 5 years of age!! You already know how to screw things u--"  
  
"Sorry, let me say that again. God sent _you_?"  
  
She scowled.  
  
"Funny. Well, nothing's been happening to the Oda Dimension at all. If you're here, I suppose it means you've met them all already?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Made them see Their Last Day?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Got them to figure out a way to save their dimension?"  
  
There was a silence before Kale attempted hopefully,  
  
"You know, you look rather young, too..."  
  
"Yes, I'm ten. Now answer my question. Or are you going to prove me right?"  
  
Her violet eyes seemed to brighten with savage triumph as she watched him silently look down at his sneakers. Then the silence seemed to stretch for too long. Rendel raised an eyebrow, when--  
  
"Hey! Aren't you Violet?"  
  
Rendel blinked, startled at the sudden change in tone and voice. She looked into the brightened eyes of the boy, and her face darkened angrily.  
  
"Kale, you coward! Come back out!"  
  
She started to demand, but was interrupted as a voice called out,  
  
"Yuko! Yuko? Where are you?"  
  
Rendel scowled, but reverted control back to the other soul.  
  
"Coming,"  
  
The girl began, when Luffy asked curiously,  
  
"Wait a minute! You _are_ Violet, aren't you?"  
  
The small girl blinked as a university student Luffy recognised from around GLU approached them.  
  
"Yuko, I told you to stay next to me while I was extracting money,"  
  
She said with a frown. Her eyes glanced over to Luffy.  
  
"Do you know this boy?"  
  
She asked, and the girl shook her head. Kale had to shove Luffy to the back of his mind to prevent a passionate response from erupting out of his mouth. He looked innocently up at the student, who examined him curiously before shrugging and taking the hand of her little sister.  
  
"But you know, Yuina-nee-san,"  
  
Said Yuko thoughtfully as they walked away from the RLB card value-measuring machines,  
  
"That boy knew my English name."  
  
"What?"  
  
Yuina turned round in surprise at this information, but the boy was gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
Zoro scuffed the toes of his sneakers into the concrete as he walked. He had actually skipped breakfast and gone out for an early morning walk. The fresh air, he supposed, was supposed to do him good. It didn't help that now he knew what a _truly_ clean world was actually like because the area now seemed clogged up with pollution. But he doubted that clean air would have helped much more, anyway.  
  
He was thinking about a certain girl, and he really just didn't know what to do. Okay, so the exchange they had had the previous night in front of the cafe had been beyond demented. But he really wanted to see her, as least to tie up the loose ends of their strange break-up of a building relationship.  
  
He had finally remembered who she was last night, after their weird meeting. And he now fully remembered Kuina, too...  
  
In their previous life... okay, he had been the one running from her. He knew it. But this time, it felt weird to realise now who the one running was. He had always wanted her off his back, disgusted at the memories and complications seeing her brought up... but this time, she wasn't a marine. And he had been interested in her for herself, not because of Kuina, this time...  
  
He thought about that, for a moment. He wondered where Kuina was... then he remembered taking her with him when he had died. Of course. Kuina was in him.  
  
He shook his head, deciding the main problem here was the idiotic swordswoman. He hadn't done anything to instigate her anger-- not to his memory, by any rate-- back the library. He still didn't understand what she had been so upset about. She'd been crying.  
  
He scratched his head as he tried to recall exactly what he'd said. He'd brought up the idea they might be linked through unknown memories... but why would that make her mad? It had to be something else.  
  
Maybe she'd remembered who he was. Perhaps that was the case - except he expected her to be thrashing him over the head and yelling about injustice to the crying swords. But then again, he didn't have Kuina's sword with him...  
  
It had been nice just talking to her before the incident in the library, after all; she was really absurd and clumsy, and seemed to be firm in her opinions and beliefs. And she allowed herself to listen to others. She was easy to poke fun at, too -- Zoro always had a kick out of getting her annoyed.  
  
Zoro realised, more than anything he wanted to do now, he just wanted to talk to her.  
  
_ "Oi, dumbass prince. If... someone keeps running from you. What do you do?"_  
  
He opened his eyes, looking up at the lightening sky turning from an alice-white to a pastel blue as he heard the dumbass cook's advice echo through his mind once more.  
  
_"I go after her."_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Gomen for the delay in updating... two weeks, was it? ^_^;; Not that you were dying of suspense, anyway... but I was really hectic in coursework and exam revision and I thought I was going to die from the overload of Graphics. But no matter, that's done and done with. I've got a heckload of exams in two weeks, so if possible I will try and get some chapters done in advance. Thanks for reviewing, everyone... I always feel better to know that people do appreciate the fanfic, it makes me feel deliriously happy for One Piece. XD So, as always -- though I truly mean it everytime -- thank you for bearing me with me uptil now. SARS may still prevail, but it won't be long 'till the summer weather kills it off. It's awfully hot and muggy here in summer, see. So... maybe it'll just disappear in a puff of smoke! Yes! Err... I hope.**   
_note:: Violet's ... er, a plug from another fanfic I wrote. =.=; I'm soooo sad. But it was just a little self-indulgence, really. Gomen nasai. ;;; _   
  



	40. Tashigi's Visions

  
  
Tashigi didn't want to think about the way they'd knocked into each other the previous evening. She'd been completely dazed and so out of it when they'd banged into each other, she hadn't been able to recognise Zoro straight away and felt like a complete idiot for it. She also felt like an idiot for feeling like one in the first place.  
  
Why did she tend to think about him so much? Tashigi slung her bag over her shoulder as she walked out towards the main building, thinking all the while.  
  
Okay, the fact he was practically a genius with swordstyle was a definite magnet. He didn't seem too inclined to yabber on all the time and actually could sense when silences were appreciated. It was a major plus to know that he was generally easy to talk to, and she didn't feel like an awkward duck around the guy - he didn't make her feel like an idiot, for one thing, which was one thing she had grown accustomed to feeling around Smoker.  
  
And out of everything, she respected him. She didn't know what it was... but something enthralled her about him. Perhaps it was his confidence; self-esteem was one department she was sorely lacking in... and Zoro Roronoah wasn't bad-looking at a--  
  
She slammed her head into her locker door with a yelp at herself for thinking impure thoughts and solely concentrated on her locker combination for the next minute or so. However, her mind strayed back to him again, and she remembered their last encounter in front of the lockers...  
  
She turned her head slightly to the left, almost expecting to see him, but saw his locker shut and locked with loads of other students milling about it. Tashigi knew she kept thinking about him - she just had no idea why.  
  
It was after she shut her locker and began to exit the floor when the place began to shift before her eyes, the volume dying down quite suddenly. Tashigi was not surprised. This had been happening ever since she had met Smoker - she kept seeing weird visions of some other life of hers... as a marine. She wondered which vision _this_ was about, when she froze in step, her jaw dropping open.  
  
At the end of a pouring haze of rain battering mercilessly down at the ground, she saw a figure standing quite still. It flickered out, and Tashigi tried to move away - but she saw, behind her, a group of scared townspeople. A young girl clutched her pants leg, soaked to the skin and looking extremely frightened. She was crying.  
  
_I'm protecting them,_  
  
She realised, and she tried to move herself into a fighting stance-- but too late, fiery eyes engulfed her vision, rain splotching past his dark hair. Lightning flashed, and she saw a yellow streak in his hair illuminate brightly before he raised an arm above her neck - she swung her sword, but he was faster--  
  
A searing pain exploded from her chest, and she felt hot liquid rise up in a boiling gargle up her throat as the scene blotted out with millions of miniscule red stars as she tried in vain to not cry out--  
  
Falling to her knees, hard, onto the concrete floor of the locker floor, Tashigi wheezed in a deep, painful breath, ignoring the stares of people as they walked past her. Bubbly chatter filled the air, footsteps going up and down the stairs, the sun shone brightly through the open windows -- but never had Tashigi, despite the extreme normalcy, felt so alienated from everyone.  
  
_What was that?_  
  
She thought, shakily trying to catch her breath. Her legs were sprawled beneath her, she realised, and her books were scattered everywhere. She tried to pick herself up, but failed to even stir feeling in her legs. Then she heard a voice that she knew would always make her feel scared.  
  
"If it isn't Raven, our dear little friend."  
  
Jenna said with a smirk, Marie and Karen behind her looking smugly down as Yuina stood a little ways off quietly. Tashigi couldn't find her voice, and simply looked down at her trembling hands, hoping the sun would flash off her lenses and hide the fear in her eyes from the vision.  
  
"Spacing out while fantasising in the corridors again, huh. Typically Raven."  
  
Marie snickered as though Karen had said something really witty, and chortled,  
  
"Probably about Mr. Ruckhill snogging her. It'd be a dream for her really - for _anyone_ to snog her,"  
  
Tashigi flushed a deep red, cursing herself for the involuntary action. She hated it when they spoke of the incident in which, two years ago, her Graphics teacher had sent a confession to her by accident. He'd been sacked after the letter he'd sent had been discovered by Marie and Jenna, who had been going through Tashigi's belongings to find something to blackmail her with.  
  
They'd meant for Raven to get kicked out too, but as she hadn't done anything wrong despite stubbornly not naming who the letter had really been meant for, Tashigi had been left alone. She still hated the whole incident though, and it still made her flush in memory of him embarrassedly explaining his emotional situation to her.  
  
"Sh-shut up ab-about that,"  
  
Tashigi hissed, wanting to kick herself for stuttering. The girls tittered as she tried to pick herself up, but failed to get her muscles to listen to her.  
  
"Awww. Now there's no bodyguard to protect you, eh, Raven?"  
  
Jenna said with a puppy-dog look on her face, and Tashigi wished there weren't so many people trying to pretend they couldn't see her situation. She wanted to snap her chin up and scream at Jenna for all it was worth, but she just couldn't get her body to work. Damn that vision!  
  
Then she felt a sudden coldness at the top of her head before feeling a chilled liquid soak through her hair.  
  
"Whoops,"  
  
Jenna said with a nasty smile, flicking the upturned can away from Tashigi's head as the girls began to hoot with laughter. Tashigi noticed Yuina had disappeared, but wasn't consoled much from the fact as she felt the orange juice run down her neck and trickle past her forehead. Her face burned with humilation, and she finally got her legs to kneel. She slowly began to methodically pick her books up.  
  
Snorting, Marie pressed a high-heel down onto Tashigi's Physics textbook. Tashigi's face was impassive as she unsucessfully tried to pull the book out from Marie's foot. Then Marie let go suddenly so Tashigi pulled with excessive strength and slammed her back against the wall. Their laughter rang in her head dully as she tried to put the books into her bag.  
  
"What's the rush?"  
  
Jenna asked with a smile as she towered over her, but Tashigi grabbed her bag and willed her legs to move. She managed to dart out from beneath Marie's arm and tried to dash off to the other end of the corridor. However, her legs hadn't fully recovered from the frozen feeling the vision had given them, and she crashed to the floor bone-wrackingly without going three steps. Her glasses fell with a clatter somewhere before her. Trying to keep their laughter out of her head, wild panic filled her and she tried to crawl away from the girls.  
  
_I hate this! I thought I'd overcome Jenna. I thought it'd stopped!_  
  
She thought desperately, squeezing her eyes shut from the pain,  
  
_I hate myself! Why did they have to attack when I was feeling weak? Why am I running away? **Why?**_  
  
However, as she felt a hand roughly grab her arm and heard the girls' laughter as she was pulled up to her feet with a violent jerk, she knew she could never win. She just couldn't. Her head bowed low, her eyes flicked open, and she felt hot tears slipping down her cheeks to mingle with the juice.  
  
Was there even a point in running away?  
  
A despair at herself filled her completely as she raised her eyes in utter defeat.  
  
And she met the eyes of Zoro Roronoah, her own eyes widening at the seriously pissed off expression on his face. Then he turned his eyes to the girls, giving them death-glares so intense their high-pitched giggling silenced immediately as they exchanged glances of fear.  
  
"Z--"  
  
She didn't get to even say his name - keeping his grip on her arm, he walked at a quickening pace towards the end of the corridor. She found her voice halfway, but her protests fell on deaf ears.  
  
However, by the time he'd dragged her to the foot of the stairs she'd had enough. She stopped abruptly, forcing them both to stop with a sharp jerk, and bringing back the arm he wasn't holding, Tashigi swung it and slapped him ruthlessly across the face.  
  
"No one asked for your help!"  
  
She snarled angrily, her blurred eyesight without her glasses growing worse as tears started to gather in her eyes. However, even through the sheen of tears she didn't miss his scowl as he let go of her arm and handed her her bag. She snatched it back, feeling like a bratty kid but angered at having to have needed his help, of all people.  
  
Zoro surprised her out of her wits as he slid her glasses back behind her ears, a red mark on his cheek and his scowl coming into sharp focus as her glasses tapped against the bridge of her nose.  
  
"Listen, Copy-cat,"  
  
He said annoyedly,  
  
"I was just irritated because _you_ couldn't get your act together. Got it?"  
  
With that, he gave a childish huff before turning, his hand gripping his bag strap tightly before charging up the stairs two at a time.  
  
_Irritated?_ She wiped her tears away briefly. However, she felt her anger ebb away as she realised she had looked pretty pathetic. _It's your fault, you know._ The words he'd said to her that night they'd met back in the dinner dance lay fresh in her mind, and she knew now the full impact of the words.  
  
Why had she gotten so mad? Was it from her clinging onto foolish human pride? Did she even have any pride? Shaking her head, Tashigi brushed a sticky lock of hair behind her ear - and was abruptly horrified to find herself flushed. Like the night she'd been blushing furiously as he'd thread ribbon through her dress, she was blushing just as deeply from the light brush of his fingertips past her cheeks when he'd put her glasses on.  
  
Kicking herself mentally, started upstairs herself only after she was completely sure Zoro Roronoah was well upstairs and out of sight.  
  
  
  
  
  
"How exactly are we planning to get these people together anyway?"  
  
Gin asked. Krieg raised an eyebrow in surprise. He was always surprised whenever Gin asked questions.  
  
"I don't really know. But Waporu said he had someone working on it. His closest assistant - Kent, you saw him, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
Gin said uneasily. There was a pause.  
  
"Is there something you don't like about the plans for Saturday?"  
  
Krieg prompted suddenly, his eyes narrowed. Gin remained silent.  
  
"Gin? Answer me! Because I assure you, if you are too cowardly for this assignment and you feel it too large for you to handle as vice-captain, I will be sure to pass the position to someone else!"  
  
"It isn't that I'm worried about, captain,"  
  
Gin said quietly, and his eyes never meeting Krieg's, he left the garage without looking back once in response to Krieg's angry calls.  
  
  
  
  
  
"No,"  
  
Sanji said with a sigh,  
  
"Not tonight, either."  
  
He paused, and realising his manager was eyeing him, said quickly,  
  
"Usopp, I can't keep the conversation up. I'll talk to you next time, but I've gotta shoot now. Bye."  
  
He shut the cell-phone just as he felt someone tap his shoulder behind him. Turning round, Sanji saw the honey-blonde and smiled.  
  
"Kaya, of course. The very vision of sparkling honey."  
  
He lavished, and the girl turned red.  
  
"You're too much, Sandy White,"  
  
She said embarrassedly before smiling. Sanji noticed that the smile looked strangely different. He couldn't place what it was, but something about her made her look a whole lot more prettier today than all the others.  
  
"Uhm, I noticed you were talking to someone called Usopp."  
  
Kaya said uncertainly. Sanji raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You know him? He's an engineer... seventeen. Wears glasses. Has a ridiculously long nose?"  
  
The actress let out an exclamation of delight at the last description.  
  
"Yes! You know Usopp-san?"  
  
Sanji's eyes widened.  
  
"I remember now. The girl Usopp talks about loads. It was Kaya-chan?"  
  
She flushed.  
  
"He... talks about me?"  
  
The model grinned at her.  
  
"All the time."  
  
He confirmed. She blushed pleasantly as they shared a smile. Then he told her,  
  
"You can call me Sanji."  
  
  
  
  
  
As Tashigi walked, however, something seemed to be nagging the edge of her mind.  
  
_Listen, Copy-cat._  
  
'What on earth did he mean by that?'  
  
She wondered. Then stopped short as her eyes widened as she heard a distant echo of her own voice sound in her head. _What on earth did he mean by that?_ She'd thought that exact same thought before. But from where?  
  
She paused on the stairs, frowning at the deja vu and failing to notice that she could not longer hear other students hurrying up to class, nor hear their panicked talk. She was suddenly blinded with bright light that flashed before her eyes before plunging her onto a wide street darkened from torrential skies. She looked around wildly. _That vision again?!_  
  
But there were no bystanders near her, no little girl at her knees. Instead, there was a small crowd of men in soaked uniforms, and before her she saw the brief outlines of three figures dashing towards her. She recognised one immediately; the glint at his left ear, green hair and the stomach band around his clothes seemed to glow amidst the splattering rain.  
  
_Roronoa Zoro!!_  
  
The moment the name burst out of her lips, it was as though someone had switched off the mute button - the sound of the rain beating down onto the ground with a haunting howl of the wind behind her filled her ears. She heard the marines nears her let out surprised yells of her name, but ignored them as his figure approached.  
  
_So you were Roronoa Zoro - **and** you are a pirate!_  
  
His voice echoed in her head, the memory of his grin flashing in her mind.  
  
**Are you going to take this sword too?**  
  
Anger flared as she heard a mocking tone in those words now.  
  
_You were actually mocking me!! I can't forgive that at all!!!_  
  
She heard yells from the figures, and was shocked to see Sandy White. The straw-hat wearing captain between the blonde and Zoro simply looked confused.  
  
_What did you do to the lady!!!_  
  
Likewise, the swordsman ignored the blonde as he asked nonchalantly,  
  
_So you were a marine, huh?_  
  
Her determination heightened as her fingers tightened the grip on her sword.  
  
_I am taking your 'Wadoichi monyi'._  
  
And, like the night of the dinner dance straight after his amazing move, she saw that exact same grin on his face. The maddeningly confident one.  
  
_...go ahead and try it._  
  
Mocking her again! In another flash of lightning, their swords had met with a sharp clang of blades. Thunder rolled in the distance as Zoro told his captain quickly,  
  
_Go to the ship first._  
  
_Got it._  
  
Then he gave her an irritating smile that measured her.  
  
_Heh._  
  
It was an exhalement of some sort of joy as he took in her strength. She bit her lip tightly. She'd seen it already, but now that their swords had met she was assured that he was definitely no ordinary swordsman. It was going to take everything she had.  
  
She took her sword up quickly and they began a furious storm of sword-slashing. Any good swordsman knew that just because you had two swords didn't mean you were stronger than someone with one.  
  
Tashigi knew immediately that Zoro knew it too. His two swords clanged against hers with the same vigor she exerted, but she sensed he was holding back. She slashed still more furiously, angry that even with him not using his traditional three swords, even with him not using any particular technique against her, that he was still winning.  
  
Still, it came a bit of a shock to her when her sword skid off one of his blades as she prepared to slash towards the other, only for him to overpower the skidding and swipe the sword out of her tight grip. Before she could move to grab sliding handle, he had the other blade slammed into the surface to her left, and she realised too late she was backed up right against the wall.  
  
She breathed heavily from her efforts as she realised with impending dread that she had lost. His face was inches away from hers, and she could see his excited eyes clearly. He looked at her triumphantly, and she found the grin had never left his face.  
  
_This sword... I can't give it to you. No matter what...!!_  
  
Cries of dismay arose from the marines watching, but she wasn't listening to them at all. She waited for him to finish the last blow with the blade he held near her cheek.  
  
But a dismay of her own drenched her far more than the rain when the blade drew back and he resheathed it.  
  
_I'm sort of really busy, so we'll stop here. Sorry._  
  
An anger boiled deep in her as it always did when someone looked down upon her just because...!  
  
_Why didn't you finish me off?_  
  
He did not reply, and her face darkened before she asked quietly with barely contained anger,  
  
_Is it... because I am a girl?_  
  
He looked at her with a strange expression on his face as she continued,  
  
_To look down at me in a swordsfight just because they say females are weaker than males is an absolute insult! You have no idea how hard I've wished that **I'd rather have been born as a guy**...!!_  
  
His face contorted as she felt her anger reach it's peak as she yelled,  
  
_I did not choose to hold a sword just for fun!!!_  
  
Apparently, Zoro had reached his brink too because he suddenly pointed an accusatory finger at her as he yelled,  
  
_I... really don't like you!!! I don't like your very existence!!_  
  
This dumbfounded Tashigi for a moment before she blurted out,  
  
_What!!?_  
  
_You know, your face!!! It looks exactly like a dead friend of mine!!_  
  
She was temporarily stunned at the irritation in Zoro's voice, and at the extremely strange, strained look in his eye. However, the stunned sensation disappeared when he barreled on,  
  
_And you say exactly the same things **that person** did! Don't imitate her, you Copy-cat!!!_  
  
Her jaw dropped open as he held a blade up to her face, as though challenging her.  
  
_What!!? How could you say such juvenile..._  
  
She gave up trying to express her dumbfounded shock at his incredibly immature attitude, and kicking up her dropped sword she managed to bring her own sword out to cross his threatening blade.  
  
_Excuse me!!! I've been living like I do 'till this very day!! I really don't know anything about your friend but I think the one gobsmacked here is **me**!!!_  
  
Tashigi glared at him as she yelled,  
  
_Who's imitating who?!!!_  
  
_What're you going on about!!!_  
  
The marines surrounding the two looked utterly confused as the two exchanged death-glares.  
  
_Tell me, Roronoa! How do you expect me to react?!_  
  
_Stop looking like her!!_  
  
He yelled at her, then looked startled as she slashed towards him yelling,  
  
_Stop being so unreasonable!!_  
  
Roronoa Zoro defended himself desperately, but he did not make any offensive moves as she continued to bring her sword down to meet his blades with metallic clangs as she demanded,  
  
_What are you trying to tell me?! I can't change the way I look!_  
  
She was mortified to realise he had absolutely no intention in fighting her - in fact, he'd lost the will to attack at all!  
  
_I was born this way!_ She shouted angrily, _What do you expect me to do?!!_  
  
_NOTHING!!_  
  
He hollered, and with another short and smart slash he had her sword clattering several feet behind her before spinning on his heel and running away.  
  
_WAIT JUST A MINUTE!!_  
  
She exclaimed frustratedly, but as she attempted to run after she remembered she had no sword, and doing an awkward twist she started to fall down, the raining skies spinning in her vision, the blur of wet uniforms and the howl of the wind dying away --  
  
and Tashigi landed with a dull thud onto the concrete landing at the foot of the stairs. She lay there, stunned for several moments before she felt someone assisting her up at the elbow asking urgently,  
  
"Are you okay? Tashigi?"  
  
She blinked, and sitting herself up met Yuina's concerned green eyes.  
  
"Yuina?"  
  
She said blankly. A little girl popped up behind her, who Tashigi recognised to be Yuina's younger sister.  
  
"Hi,"  
  
The girl said brightly. Yuina looked disapprovingly at Yuko before saying worriedly to Tashigi,  
  
"Are you okay? Do you want to go to the infirmary?"  
  
Though still feeling shaken, Tashigi shook her head as she stood up. Her knees felt weak, but she could still stand herself. Yuina nodded doubtfully, still looking worried. Tashigi would have appreciated Yuina's concern if there weren't so many things clamouring to be acknowledged all at once in her brain.  
  
"You should go get the juice out of your hair."  
  
Yuina said softly.  
  
"...I know. I'll see you around,"  
  
Tashigi said quietly, patting Yuko on the head before turning and heading up the stairs again. She was only vaguely aware of a growing pain from her hip and her elbows - the bruises from the trip down the stairs were the least on her mind. It was after she got out of the bathroom, her face splashed thoroughly with cold water and with no feeling of stickness clinging to her scalp when she brought herself to face the matters begging to be thought about.  
  
_Roronoa Zoro._  
  
She realised now exactly who he had been once... like Smoker, he was from the life she had been a marine in. And though she had always thought it was influence from Smoker that caused her to occasionally get extremely strange dreams and visions, she now knew it had to be something else. Zoro knew about it, too - he'd shown that it was so back in the library.  
  
_Don't imitate her, you Copy-cat!!!_  
  
_Listen, Copy-cat._  
  
And he was obviously now aware of who she was. An anger flowed through her veins as his stubbornness to not fight her arose freshly in her mind once more.  
  
'That coward! Who's he to say I can't get my act together?'  
  
Tashigi's eyes flashed - and then she remembered. Right now, he wasn't a pirate. And she wasn't a marine.  
  
She stopped dead in her tracks as her jaw dropped open, her mind comprehending these facts fully before she began to trek upstairs with a new-found vigor. Of course! This meant that now, she could...   
  
  
  
  
  
Usopp was bored to death. Now that he had hung up with Sanji, there was nothing new to do. The class was going through non-digital clocks _again_, and he didn't think he could take it.  
  
He made three clocks from his boredom before taking early leave, earning annoyed looks from struggling others as he trooped out of the building quickly. Knowing Kaya was out on some magazine shoot, Usopp rang Zoro and Sanji's dorm up.  
  
Twenty minutes later, he was talking to Luffy before the harbour.  
  
"Know what's up with Nami?"  
  
The sniper asked his captain. Luffy looked out over the sea, which was turning over orange rays of the sunset.  
  
"She'll come around,"  
  
He said,  
  
"But I think it'll take time. She hasn't got a lot of OQ, see."  
  
"EQ."  
  
"Whatever. But I'm not really worried. Kale did sort of say possession of mind can happen as a result of too much nervous breakdowns, though I trust Nami won't give in that easily..."  
  
Usopp sweatdropped.  
  
"Possession of mind?"  
  
"There are supposed to be a lot of floating spirits that never got reincarnated, or died so quickly their spirits just roam the earth. They'd want bodies, I guess."  
  
Usopp shook his head.  
  
"Nami, rejecting complete peace? Maybe in that world, after meeting you, yes. But Nami's different in this world. Everyone's different in this world, Luffy. Actually, the entire _world_'s different."  
  
The engineer narrowed his eyes as he exclaimed to the ocean,  
  
"This world sucks! Not only is it totally corrupted with stupid ambitious things - everything is so freaking ambiguous! And if you get too smart, you become stupid and oblivious to other people's needs. There are too many paradoxes, too much unnecessary complications. And everything is filthy. The air, the ground, the sea. It's all clogged up with our own dirt. It's disgusting here."  
  
Usopp couldn't help also thinking that although Kaya had been pretty untouchable in their previous lives, this place was even worse. People recognised her, exposed false things just for money. The majority of the people on earth knew nothing about the true meanings of dignity, pride and honour. Not even the cynics knew. Were there any cynics back at their world?  
  
He just wanted to cheer the girl up, make her feel better... and know more about her, past her shy exterior. It pleased him to know he knew what made her smile... Leaning against the railings and feeling the salty winds cause his skin tingle, Usopp mumbled into his arms,  
  
"I want to go back. I loved our ship and our world and the stupid weather changes and... I love our crew!"  
  
Luffy nodded vigorously.  
  
"I don't understand anything here!"  
  
He declared as he swung around the railings as though they were monkey bars,  
  
"And I don't even have full control over my body here. I mean, in the other world someone could stretch me even if I didn't want to be stretched, but that at least I knew I'd be sprung back. And you know, I just really hate it here as well. I wanna build snowmen again."  
  
There was a pause as the two listened to the waves crash against the harbour wall.  
  
"I guess it wouldn't be so bad here if you liked electronics."  
  
Usopp said after a moment, as he watched the orange at the sea grow richer in red.  
  
"I guess I could stay here because I have a completely normal body and I can learn how to swim here."  
  
Luffy agreed,  
  
"But you know... no one's a pirate in this world anymore. There's no adventure, is there?"  
  
"Let's go back, Luffy,"  
  
Usopp murmured,  
  
"Not as an escape, but because that's were we belong, right?"  
  
Luffy grinned.  
  
"Of course."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Wheeee. Another chapter. O_O; Okay...  
  
1. These chapters *are* getting longer. I guess that's the only way to go, though, if I want these guys to get anything done by next Christmas.  
  
2. Should I have an FAQ up? I've been considering it because I have a horrible memory and reviewers tend to ask me questions that I forget to answer in my author notes.  
  
3. Nukinator is sooooo cool. He's the one who helped me translate the Korean version for the scene here between Zoro and Tashigi back in volume 12. My version was way too awkward to even sound English. So... 3 cheers for DA MAN! ;;; Or should I say, for da bunny?  
  
4. I rewrote the whole of 12 so I'm sure some of you will feel it's completely and utterly boring. I'm sorry, I really am. ;_; But I need these excerpts for a later chapter...  
  
5. I had a plan for the next 11 or 12 chapters that I scrapped. I had to - it was going too slowly. But alas! I already said Saturday. We'll see if I can do anything about *that*...  
  
6. Exams, exams, exams. Eeep. =-= I'll try and do as much as I can before I am bombarded with necessary revision.  
  
6.5 So I guess my next update will be pretty soon. Hopefully done by Tuesday, as I have a Mandarin Oral on Monday.  
  
7. God Bless you folks for taking time to read and consider and review. :D I always feel happy when I know I'm entertaining. *cheers*  
  
8. And as always, thanks for bearing with me uptil now. *bows***  
  
  
_ note:: If you want an FAQ, please leave a question in your review._  
  



	41. Once Again and Things to Come

  
  
The moment she awoke there was a very dull ache at her temples and tight sensation at the pit of her stomach. Feeling rather attached to the floor, Nami watched the floor spin circles dizzily, her eyes blank and her brain refusing point-blank to attempt thought.  
  
However, as inbalance tends to do, the fact she had to think finally penetrated the thick haze in Nami's skull. The first thought that filtered through was the fact she didn't seem very well. There had to be something wrong with her. _Infirmary._ That was in the main building. Could she drag herself there, in this state?  
  
She didn't know how, but she eventually found herself staggering towards the door. Leaning her weight heavily upon the knob, she wrenched it open before stumbling out into the corridor with difficulty. She barely felt the cool air rush past her sweaty face. Shutting the door behind her, Nami tried to stop herself from breathing so shallowly. Was she hyper-ventilating? She certainly hoped she wasn't...  
  
Taking care not to exhibit her pain, Nami tried to casually saunter down the stairs. Her left hand betrayed her as it clutched the blue hand-rail by the stairs so tightly the skin stretched over her knuckles grew ghostly white. The grey-blue concrete of the stairs and the glossy white paint coating the walls looked foggy and distorted; Nami paused still, trying to regain proper perspective. It didn't work.   
  
_Infirmary..._  
  
The bones in her arm ached as she moved to wipe sweat off her brow, half-heartedly trying to trick herself into thinking it might be the sweat obscuring her vision. She forced herself to take another step down, and the world swerved dangerously out of focus as the colours streaked and started to flash brightly. She blinked furiously, her hand maintaining a tightening grip on the hand-rail, and the stairs seemed to flash into brown. Brown?  
  
_I need the infirmary..._  
  
She made it down two flights of stairs without meeting anyone, stubborning refusing to come to terms with the fact that the walls seemed to be looking darker and browner, and that her footsteps on the concrete starting to sound more hollow and softer... It was when she was on the last flight of stairs that would lead her into the ground floor of the dormitory block that she heard the voice again.  
  
**Stop trying, little girl... Give in.**  
  
Get lost!!  
  
"Stop it..."  
  
Nami muttered, desperately thinking,  
  
_I'm going insane... need infirmary..._  
  
She blinked as brown and blue hovered before her eyes in an unfixed mist of colour. She wanted to wave it away, but her hand wouldn't let go of the hand-rail, and the other one was clutching her stomach. She realised vaguely that there was pain building somewhere in her chest.  
  
**You think you're strong, but you're not. You know it too... Imagine having nothing to worry about, not having to think about anything...**  
  
No! No one is entitled to this body but **me**, so get out of here!  
  
"I said STOP IT,"  
  
Nami said loudly, her eyes narrowing as she squinted through the colourful haze. It sharpened quite suddenly into a wooden stairwell...  
  
_...The stairs leading into the cabin at the Going Merry?!_  
  
She caught a glimpse of her bedspread, the picture frame to her left and the varnished banister and thought she heard a snatch of Zoro's triumphant laughter that came with Sanji's swearing. Her feet were still trying to walk down the stairs, however, but amidst the hazy confusion, Nami foot met the edge of a stair before slipping off it.  
  
The entire scene suddenly jolted out of focus as Nami felt her balance give a nasty wobble, and before she knew it her vision splintered and cracked apart. The concrete surface of the ground came into sharp focus as she was hurled down the stairs, an icy dread convulsing her body as her throat let out an automatic, stifled scream--  
  
--and rammed right into a certain blonde at the bottom of the staircase.  
  
Sanji was winded for a few seconds before blinking rapidly at the sight of the navigator he'd just been about to go visit.  
  
"Nami-san?"  
  
He asked, surprised, but she did nothing in response; her face stayed planted in his chest.  
  
"Thank goodness I was down here when you fell! It's such a relief, isn't it?"  
  
This time, she responded with a small sob. His eyes widened as he felt tears soak through his shirt, her fingers clinging tightly to his jacket.  
  
"Nami-san...?"  
  
He called her name more hesitantly now, and she let out a small, muffled cry into his shirt that to Sanji was heart-wrenching. He called her name several times more with a coaxing gentleness, and she finally lifted teary, hazel eyes up to meet Sanji's genuinely concerned ones.  
  
"...Do you want to go to the infirmary?"  
  
He asked softly. Nami shook her head, tears still spilling down her cheeks. Then she turned her head back to his chest and mumbled something that sounded incoherent to Sanji.  
  
"Sorry?"  
  
He asked, feeling like a creep for having to make her repeat it. She mumbled again, and this time he her distinctly mutter 'Luffy'. Seeing she was in an emotional wreck, Sanji realised she'd want to see someone like their captain.  
  
She looked so vunerable - so much like how she'd looked when she'd been unconcious at the dinner dance night - and Sanji could feel her radiate a helplessness that was overpowering. Sanji sat up from his flattened position, but Nami still clung onto him, her eyes still hidden in her chest.  
  
Nami really didn't look like she was in a state to walk. He gently pried her fingers off his jacket, and shrugged the jacket off his shoulders. She didn't look very cold, but he didn't like the vunerability she was giving off, and he had a feeling it had to do with the spaghetti straps exposing the nape of her neck. He put the jacket around her and turned around, gesturing for her to put her arms around his shoulders.  
  
She did, but Sanji was alarmed to find no hesitance. It was as though she was too tired and exhausted to care, and for some reason, he found that as something he did not like - at all. He'd rather she'd back off and try to walk herself...He tucked his arms under her knees and stood up easily, hearing her sniffle closely to his ear before she buried her face into his shoulder.  
  
He started back up the stairs, pointedly ignoring the open-mouthed looks all the other students were giving them.  
  
  
  
  
  
Johnny couldn't help but notice, and he couldn't stop staring, either. Zoro was doing his best to ignore him, but even he could still feel the warm tingle of pain still lingering at the bright-red mark at his left cheek. It was a good thing they were sitting a test because he didn't think he could stand Johnny questioning him about it.  
  
It was a relief to get out of Maths and away from Johnny before he could ask him anything, but he felt puzzled himself as he hurried down the stairs. Where was Nami? Her chair had remained empty all lesson, and he was pretty sure she'd have known about the test. _He_ hadn't, for one thing.  
  
"Roronoa Zoro!!!"  
  
Zoro thought his ears had gone funny, and looked around to see if he was having a vision. Nope, nothing was going blurry, and there were loads of students still streaming down the stairs. He turned around to see Tashigi at the top of the stairs, looking absolutely elated.  
  
Without warning, she tripped down the stairs and barely managed to stop crashing on top of him by swerving her angle to the wall. He sweatdropped as she unpeeled herself from the concrete, looking dazed.  
  
"Er... you okay?"  
  
She snapped back to attention.  
  
"You have to follow me!!"  
  
She ordered, and grabbing his arm she started to drag him upstairs. He frowned, shaking her off, and she gave him a stricken look. He raised an eyebrow as he said,  
  
"I can walk fine myself."  
  
Tashigi appeared to sigh in relief before walking again. He followed her hurried footsteps back up the stairs and towards the other end of the floor. As they progressed past hurrying students, they entered the science complex. Tashigi continued to lead him upwards.  
  
"Oi, what's going on?"  
  
He asked, and she only replied,  
  
"You'll see when we get there."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Luffy, open up!!"  
  
Sanji called out, rapping his knuckles on his dorm door, and a bleary-eyed Luffy appeared as he pulled the door open. The model charged in, slamming the door shut with his foot, and let Nami down on his bed. The small boy looked surprised as he walked over to Sanji's bed, the look swiftly changing into worry as he noticed Nami's red and puffy eyes purposefully avoiding Sanji's concerned gaze.  
  
Before Luffy could say anything however, Nami burst out crying, her hands covering her face as the tears trickled past her throat. There was an awkward pause as the chef and captain stared at Nami before Luffy looked up at Sanji and grinned apologetically.  
  
"Sorry Sanji. Could you get out for a minute?"  
  
"Wh-what? Why?!"  
  
Sanji blurted out, looking thunderstruck, and was about to protest some more when Nami whispered quietly,  
  
"Sanji-kun, _please..._"  
  
He looked at the navigator, startled, but her hazel eyes were not looking at him; they were fixated on Luffy's red jumper. Feeling his heart drop with an unpleasant thud to his stomach, Sanji felt he might have said something-- anything-- but remembered Usopp's words.  
  
_You need to give her time, Sanji, she's not used companionship, and it'll be a while before she will be. My best advice to you is to give her some space._  
  
Nodding slowly, the blonde headed silently outside. He heard Luffy say 'thanks' as he shut the door behind him, but he didn't feel any better hearing it. Knowing he wouldn't be much more help around there for quite a while, Sanji walked towards the staircase.  
  
He didn't know where he was headed, but he didn't want to stay on the same floor as her whilst knowing he had nothing he could do for her. Even back then, in Arlong Park, he hadn't been able to do anything for her against the worst guy of them all. He couldn't blame it on having been weakened by the stupid fin-karate-merman - he'd just been too weak. She'd come to see him coughing blood and on his knees before Arlong, but even then her eyes had been on Zoro's bleeding wounds.  
  
Failing to catch her attention there, he'd done his best on the Going Merry after; he'd served her drinks and treats, tended to the orange trees and responded to her every whim whether it was to open the sails or shovel snow out. But time to time he saw an emotion in her eyes just briefly, an expression that he couldn't describe. To call it sad would be mocking it and to say it was worried was an understatement. However, the uncertainty always cleared whenever Luffy appeared.  
  
Luffy. He was the one who'd recruited Nami and ordered his crew-mates to take her back; he also had a knack of doing and saying the exact things that made Nami forget all her worries. Most of the time he did the opposite, but what he had done for her in Arlong Park was more than enough to compensate for all the stupid things he'd done against her orders. She didn't understand Luffy the same way Luffy didn't understand her, but there was a strong bond between them that Sanji knew could never exist between her and himself.  
  
Just like all those times in their previous life, Nami had gone to seek Luffy before Sanji. Despite all his efforts to express his worthiness to her, to show he was pleased she was on board and appreciated her common sense and his multiple confessions of love, she still hadn't received his attentions and therefore still did not allow him any deeper than skin-deep into her heart. And again, even in his second life, he was powerless in helping the navigator.  
  
_Yeah, like some space for her to understand herself._  
  
Usopp's voice echoed in his head,  
  
_She's taken care of herself before, and until she truly needs it, I think you should leave her alone for a while._  
  
The time had come for her to truly need help, yet he couldn't give it to her.  
  
The model stopped walking to let out an angry yell as he slammed a fist into the wall of the stairwell, the noises echoing down the stairs as Sanji felt a tide of helplessness overwhelm him.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Usopp-san?"  
  
Kaya exclaimed, pleasantly surprised at his cheerful greeting,  
  
"Why did you call?"  
  
"Well... I guess I just wanted to know how you're feeling today?"  
  
"I guess I'm not too bad lately,"  
  
She lied, hoping it hadn't leaked out to the press that she'd been using blush to increase the colour in her paling skin for Amber Signs,  
  
"I feel a lot better now."  
  
"...You're a terrible liar, Kaya. But you can tell me what's bothering you when you feel like it, right?"  
  
Kaya flushed, her fingers poking around the telephone cord as she mumbled,  
  
"Uhm... I'm sorry for lying to you. I guess--"  
  
She blinked as she heard the line cut abruptly. Hearing the dial tone suddenly replace the silence, Kaya frowned. She got ready to dial again when Merii charged into her room, startling her.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
She asked, feeling concerned as he looked at her in a panicked fashion.  
  
"Forgive me, Miss Kaya, but I was the one who cut the line."  
  
Her eyes widened, then narrowed as her brows knitted.  
  
"You _what_?"  
  
"You have to stop talking to-- to the poofter, Miss Kaya! He clearly is--"  
  
"Poofter?!"  
  
"--a terrible influence. You've been growing paler and paler and I know it's because of the stress this 'fan-boy', which I feel Mister Krow is quite right to call him--"  
  
"The only one who is stressing me now is you and Klahadol!!"  
  
Kaya snapped.   
  
"I hope you understand,"  
  
Merii charged on, ignoring her,  
  
"That Mister Krow knows the best for you - at least, far more than whatever that Usopp person can do for you! He has been disappointed with your behaviour lately, Miss Kaya - as am I! I have no doubt that it is this Usopp character who has been misleading you!"  
  
"I'll choose who I want to associate with and who I don't!!"  
  
Kaya said angrily, her voice rising.  
  
"You are still young and too innocent to know what's best for yourself. Don't take it out on Mister Krow - he's doing everything he can for you so selflessly, and he's got enough on his plate about the will to the Stormland going on what with Augustus Flint going missing and Theodore Flint passing away this morning, I'm sure that--"  
  
"Flint died in his coma?"  
  
Kaya gasped, momentarily taken from her anger to be shocked by the news of the land tycoon's death. Merii waved a hand about, as though to dismiss her words as he said firmly,  
  
"What I mean to say is that I feel it is my responsibility to ensure you are no longer entitled to be with this Usopp as he is impressing inappropriate attitude onto you, Miss Kaya. I don't like you being exposed to such delinquent--"  
  
"_Get out._"  
  
Her manager blinked.  
  
"Sorry, Miss?"  
  
"I told you not to speak of Usopp-san that way. Now I don't want to face you, so if you'll forgive me--"  
  
The next thing Merii knew, he was pushed out of the room and the door was slammed shut and locked. Kaya picked up the phone again, but found that Merii had cut off her entire phone line from the power supply below. The actress threw the receiver onto the carpet before throwing herself onto her bed, grabbing a pillow and hugging it tightly.  
  
She couldn't believe her manager had cut the line off just because he thought Usopp was a poofter. And it had been so rude to Usopp! What was she supposed to tell him? That her manager thought he was a poofter?  
  
Coughs began to wrack her body, and she was forced to come out of her room to get a glass of water and some pills.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Nami, you don't have to say anything, alright? Just listen to me."  
  
Nami just nodded, sniffling as Luffy settled on Sanji's desk-chair across her.  
  
"You've never really been able to understand this, and I really want you to know this: you don't have to keep it all to yourself."  
  
She choked on a sob, and with difficulty began to say,  
  
"I-I've b-been having visions s-s-since--"  
  
He held up a hand, shaking his head sharply.  
  
"That's not what I want to hear. I don't need to know about that."  
  
Nami looked confusedly at Luffy. He looked like a child, but there was something distinctly Luffy's seventeen-year-old look within his eyes and his set mouth.  
  
"Do you not want to return to our world?"  
  
At this, Nami shook her head, her eyes narrowing as she said defiantly,  
  
"Why sh-should I want to? Like I said... those dreams a-aren't going to make me d-do something I don't have t-to do--"  
  
"Look at me and say that again."  
  
Nami sighed, and swallowing hard she brought her eyes to meet Luffy straight on and tried to repeat it again. However, the honest look on his face made her words fail on her lips. Instead, her voice cracked as she began to speak despairingly.  
  
"Luffy, I-I hear voices in my head. I can hear voices and th-they know everything ab-about me, and I k-keep seeing things I d-don't want t-to see and I think I'm ill, something's wrong, I-I g-get headaches and s-stomach-aches and chest-aches a-and-- I think I'm going insane!!"  
  
"Nami, you're not--"  
  
"You don't understand!! You don't know anything!!"  
  
She blurted out, rubbing her over-flowing eyes frantically,  
  
"You never did!!"  
  
"I know. I don't."  
  
The way he said it so calmly and honestly caught Nami off guard, and she remembered.  
  
_Luffy...! What the hell...! You don't know anything...!  
  
I know. I don't._  
  
He'd come to her as her blood had been seeping past her arm, betrayal churning her insides, and he'd stopped her from hurting herself any longer. And she'd screamed at him angrily...  
  
_ It's none of your business, I thought I told you to get the hell off this island!  
  
That's true, you did.  
  
.....!! .....Luffy.... _  
  
She brought her tear-streaked face up to look at Luffy, who was now looking at her intently in the exact same and expectant way he'd looked at her back then. Her tears trickled past her cheeks as she realised he wasn't asking for much.  
  
All he wanted was a little trust.  
  
"Luffy,"  
  
Nami whispered,   
  
"...I'm sorry... but this time... you can't help me."  
  
His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't say anything. She ran a hand through her hair as she struggled to maintain eye-contact with the boy as she continued,  
  
"I d-don't know what to do. I do want to go b-back, Luffy... but I c-can't. I just... I don't... I can't even stand th-this burden of visions, and you-- you expect me to resurrect a d-dimension _and_ act as normal around Sanji-k-kun? I can't do it, Luffy. I was n-never strong like you guys, both inside a-and out..."  
  
She couldn't see through the sheen of tears blurring her vision.  
  
"I don't d-deserve your friendship, L-Luffy... I'm selfish and I want you to help me b-but I d-don't think you c-can this time... I have to rely on myself, and-- I-I can't do it. That's why I don't think I c-can--"  
  
Nami only saw a blur of his scarlet clothes before her eyes before she felt his small arms hug around her shoulders, her cheek pressed against his jumper.  
  
"You can, Nami. Out of many people I know, you're one of the few who can go through this. I don't think I can even imagine what pain you're going through, but... I know for myself how much you treasure life. You have a special gift for knowing what it means to live and you have the power to live on, even if you're in the worst situations... so I know you can do it."  
  
_Luffy..._  
  
She couldn't believe Luffy had known how much she valued life without knowing about Bellemere. Luffy held her tighter as he told her firmly,  
  
"Just hold on, okay? I'm sorry I can't do anything, but I trust you can. Just hold on, okay, Nami?"  
  
Her eyes filling with fresh tears, Nami gripped the back of Luffy's jumper tightly as she nodded.  
  
  
  
  
  
He breathed heavily, his eyes wide as he tried in vain to escape from the grinning madman. He was clutching his arm, which had been brutally sliced in several places and soaked his clothes in crimson. Krow stepped up towards him, enjoying the sensation of fear the young man emitted as he cowered under his shadow.  
  
"Stop, d-don't,"  
  
The young man panted, desperately eyeing the alarm system several feet to his left, his eyes occasionally darting to the blood running down the many blades on Krow's fingers,  
  
"I-I'm entitled to the land now, Mister Klahadol Krow, don't--"  
  
He was cut off as the blades savaged his body, one slicing through his neck. Krow frowned as the words cut off abruptly and the young man's head flopped sickeningly against his neck in a broken fashion. He was dead already. Krow knew he'd have to polish his technique - he hadn't meant to kill the young man off so quickly.  
  
He bent over to search in the person's inner jacket pockets to find what he was looking for - a large brown envelope. He was careful not to stain the envelope in blood, but failed to notice the envelope was not sealed properly; the pages with Flint's will and the will clauses and signatures slid out and fell onto the chest of Augustus Flint, blood blossoming onto the pages.  
  
Cursing, Krow inserted the pages back into the envelope. He was going to have copies made anyway to make it look forged by Augustus Flint, but all the same, he'd have liked it clean...  
  
As he exited the motel wearing a balaclava and a face-mask, he felt his cell-phone vibrate.  
  
Krieg's voice came loud and clear, even through all the wool of the balaclava.  
  
"So... all diversion and separation plans are complete, huh?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Krow said muffledly through the balaclava, and shut the phone off before swiftly disappearing from the street, the brown envelope securely tucked in his clothes.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kale knew that Nami was going through hell lately, and he also knew Usopp was as well - the engineer was just better at coping with the pain. But even so, Nami looked _terrible_. She looked terribly ill and exhausted.  
  
'I wonder how her soul's coping...'  
  
Kale thought, flipping the pages in a book with a thumb as he sunk further into the library chair,  
  
'With the state Nami's in, I bet her soul is fending off all the evil souls trying to overtake her body 24/7...'  
  
Shaking his head, Kale flipped the book shut. There was no use trying to read up on 'The Study of Babylonia and Persia' with his mind this full to bursting. Sliding the dusty volume into a random space on a random shelf, he turned around and was immediately faced with Rendel.  
  
"Don't _do_ that!!"  
  
Kale yelped, earning disapproving looks from the librarian and several other students as he stumbled away from the girl. She tutted as she pulled the book out and started to walk towards the correct bookshelf.  
  
"You shouldn't do put things in the wrong places. That's irresponsible angel behaviour, isn't it?"  
  
Rendel chided as she found the right book-case and pushed the book in an empty slot,  
  
"Besides, seeing that the Oda Dimension is _still_ completely untouched since it stopped going, you haven't been able to pull your act together."  
  
"I don't understand why God sent _you_ of all people to watch over me,"  
  
Kale said sourly as he leaned against a book-case next to her,  
  
"But I'm guessing you've got something to tell me because you wouldn't have come finding me otherwise."  
  
"Obviously,"  
  
Rendel said with a huff, flipping her hair over her shoulders with a superior look at Kale,  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that I had a dream last night. Apparently, three things are going to happen to your group sometime later this week."  
  
"What? What's going to happen?"  
  
He sounded alarmed, and felt annoyed he had to hear this from a Silver Angel. Why couldn't Messenger Angels be granted with future predicting dreams, too? She gave him that same, annoyingly superior look again as she said loftily,  
  
"First of all, one of you will be taken under unwitting and unwilling powers out of his or her grasp. Secondly, someone will discover something vitally important to the future of him or her. And third, something will happen concerning you."  
  
"Luffy?"  
  
Kale said in surprise, and his eyebrows shot higher as Rendel shook her head.  
  
"No, not Luffy. _You_, Kale. Something will happen to _you_."  
  
"Is that 'something' good or bad?"  
  
The Messenger Angel asked nervously, and Rendel shrugged.  
  
"I have no idea. It may not be either. All I know is that it will have a big impact on you."  
  
He bit his lip.  
  
"Should I do anything to prepare the guys for this?"  
  
She shrugged again.  
  
"Your choice. God chose you because you were capable, didn't He?"  
  
Kale scowled, but he didn't answer. Then Rendel said quietly,  
  
"By the way... Valandi Kriquelleif is up to something."  
  
Kale blinked.  
  
"Valkrief? Up to what?"  
  
Rendel turned bright red, looking flabbergasted.  
  
"D-Don't call him _that!_"  
  
"It does shorten his name, doesn't it?"  
  
Kale smirked as he watched the Silver Angel try her best not to laugh, hiding her mouth behind her hands.  
  
"Th-that's an extremely stupid Baby Angel name, isn't it?"  
  
"In the Divine Language, yep. It's a common Baby Angel name that conveniently sums his ridiculous name into two syllables."  
  
"Kale, I give up on you. Well, I thought you'd want to know that some Arch and Gold Angels were dispatched yesterday to the dimension Valkri-- er-- stop laughing!! -- Valandi Kriquelleif was banished into."  
  
Kale's brow furrowed.  
  
"What's Valkrief trying to do?"  
  
"I don't know, but it seems to be concerning _this_ dimension. Dimension 900Z."  
  
The Messenger Angel sighed deeply before musing out loud,  
  
"I have a feeling God isn't going to be making things easy for us..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_Note: Did anyone get confused by the last chapter? O_o;; In case you didn't know, Kuina and Tashigi are two different entities and Zoro uses two-sword-style against Tashigi in volume 12..._  
  
**A/N: I am not going to be able to update that often, I guess... one reason being I'm rewriting the entire ending. I realised the ending I had planned was too lame. Oh... I'll get up an FAQ, I guess... ^_^;; And of course... exams.  
  
I know this is a colassal chapter, forgive me! ;; This long enough to be THREE chapters I think. Oh well... Exams, exams, exams. I did my Mandarin Oral today and I thought I was going to die from nerves... okay... I'm still nerve-wracked from my toneless and rangeless Mandarin, so I guess I should shut up. Thanks for sticking with me uptil now... ^^ I really appreciate you guys, especially all reviewers - your reviews ALWAYS brightnen up my day. :)  
**   
  



	42. On the Astroturf

  
  
Nami was about to open her locker when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Sanji leaning against the wall several metres away.  
  
"...Sanji-kun?"  
  
He looked up and his jaw dropped open in surprise to see her smiling a little at him.  
  
"N-Nami-san? Err-- are you-- er-- uhm-- okay?"  
  
Sanji fidgeted a little as he asked this nervously, and Nami put a little more effort into her smile.  
  
"Much better now."  
  
There was a pause before Nami asked,  
  
"Are you free right now?"  
  
"Oh! Me? Er-- b-but of course!"  
  
He stammered. Nami's smile grew warmer.  
  
"Would you mind baking orange-flavoured cookies for me?"  
  
The sweetness in her tone immediately brought Sanji's mind back to their previous lives.  
  
_Nami-san, what would you like for me to do for you now?  
  
I'd like orange-flavoured cookies!_  
  
It made him feel over-joyed to realise Nami was actually asking him to do something for her. She was! And he hadn't done a thing to offer any help, either!  
  
"Would I _mind_?! Why Nami-san it's an honour to do anything for you!!"  
  
He cried, and swooping her bag out of hands began to stride towards the other end of the floor.  
  
"Sanji-kun!! Wait!! My bag--"  
  
"It's all right, Nami-san! I'll hold it for you, it's what a man does for a woman!"  
  
"No, that's not what I--"  
  
"It's fine, I can handle the bag!"  
  
Sanji chortled, and jumped up and down as he called out,  
  
"Come on Nami-san! Let's go and bake cooki--"  
  
"SANJI-KUN!! I need to put that bag in my locker!! Come back first!!"  
  
Sanji was a lot more quieter on the way to the dormitory, and Nami could have sworn she'd seen him blush when he'd slunk over and returned the bag to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Usopp-san, are you sure you forgive me? I didn't mean--"  
  
"Kaya, I'm telling you, it's fine!"  
  
Usopp said with a laugh,  
  
"I'm just amazed you got out of the house even with Merii hiring bodyguards for you."  
  
"I told them I had to go buy some... lady stuff."  
  
Kaya admitted, blushing,  
  
"Thank goodness the bodyguards aren't lie detectors. You were right, Usopp-san - I am a terrible liar, I could feel my face turn bright red as I spoke!"  
  
"As long as they didn't notice."  
  
Usopp said with a smile before he drinking more soda. Kaya tipped the chocolate chips Usopp had given her into the whipped cream on her ice-cream and stirred as she spoke.  
  
"I'm sorry I haven't been very truthful to you lately. Klahadol hasn't been going through a good time, and I suppose it's rubbing off on me..."  
  
The engineer's brows knitted as he repeated,  
  
"Klahadol? It sounds awfully familiar..."  
  
"Klahadol Krow, manager of Feline Incorporates in the Electronics business? I think you would know him, Usopp-san."  
  
He snapped his fingers.  
  
"Oh, Krow! Yeah, I know him. That's... oh, yeah. The guy who saw me a couple of days ago in front of your home..."  
  
"...Please don't think badly of him if he says anything to you,"  
  
Kaya said hesitantly,  
  
"He's a very nice man, but he jumps very easily into conclusions... and... I don't know, he's been very stressed lately, so maybe the strain's getting to him because he seems so distant these days..."  
  
Usopp snorted, to Kaya's surprise.  
  
"I don't have a good feeling about the man. I really don't like the way he acts."  
  
"What do you know about Krow?"  
  
Kaya asked, trying to keep the bite out of her voice. She was shocked; Usopp hardly knew the man, yet he was being so judgemental. Was he depending on the media? She had hoped he wasn't one of those types...  
  
"...Nothing, I guess. Sorry, Kaya - I know you're close to the man... It's just that I feel like I've met him somewhere before, but I don't know..."  
  
Kaya blinked in surprise, and a sort of warmth spread through her. He looked so apologetic.  
  
"It's okay." She said, trying not to sound apologetic herself, "Krow can be insufferable at times--"  
  
Usopp let out a hearty laugh that made Kaya laugh too at her choice of vocabulary before she added,  
  
"--but he's a very nice man once you get to know him."  
  
"I'm sure he is."  
  
Usopp said, and although Kaya caught the dryness in his tone she couldn't stop smiling.   
  
  
  
  
  
The door burst open, and the dark stairwell was suddenly flooded with grey light. As Zoro stepped onto the landing, he noted the lack of ceiling and the way it opened out to the greying skies. He looked down to see artificial grass, and looked around to see a tall fence of blue metal surrounding the pitch. They were on the astroturf - Zoro had never been to it before, and walked along the plastic shoots interestedly.   
  
"It's drizzling,"  
  
He said as he felt cold droplets fleck his skin. Tashigi was not listening; she had entered some storage room. Zoro started to follow but stopped, startled, when something suddenly flew out from the stroage room at him. Three things, to be precise. He honestly had had no idea what they were or how to react, but his soul must have known because reflex followed. With a single handed swipe, Zoro had all three bokken handles in his hand before he tossed one of the bokkens to his other hand with a flick of his wrist.  
  
Tashigi re-emerged with a bokken in her hands, her eyes flitting over his tight grip on each handle before looking at him. He looked somewhat confused for a split second, but the moment he saw the flare in her eyes, Zoro realised what she wanted.  
  
He promptly dropped the bokkens with a clatter of hard wood onto the artificial grass, looking at Tashigi as though she were dangerous.  
  
"No way."  
  
Zoro said flatly. Her determined expression did not falter one bit; instead, her eyes seemed to gleam with some sort of energy.  
  
"You're not a coward, are you?"  
  
Scowling, Zoro started to walk towards the other end of the pitch. Tashigi intercepted him easily, thrusting her bokken before his chest and forcing him to stop.  
  
"I remember, Zoro. How you fought with me with me once, but after I spoke of my beliefs, you refused to even look me in the eye."  
  
"I didn't want to fight you then for a good reason, and I don't want to fight you now for the same reasons."  
  
The rain started to fall harder as a ghost of a sad smile flickered past Tashigi's lips.  
  
"You mean because I look like your dead friend? Is that it?"  
  
"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
Zoro growled, glowering as he stepped away from her weapon. Her eyes widened a little in surprise before they narrowed.  
  
"I do, Roronoa. I always did. I can't help the way I look, nor can I even fathom who that girl was. But this... this isn't about her. It's between you and me, isn't it?"  
  
"Tashigi, don't you even remember what you wanted to fight me for?"  
  
Zoro demanded, taking effort not to sound panicked at how serious she looked and sounded,  
  
"You wanted my Wadou, and you wanted to get me because you were a marine and I was a pirate."  
  
Tashigi's eyes flickered as a strange smile spread on her lips. It looked almost excited.  
  
"Exactly. This world, there is no Wadou. You aren't a pirate, and I'm not a marine. You have no reason to run away. I have no reason to chase you. For once we can face each other and fight without any burdens at all. You didn't fight me with the Wadou, and you didn't finish me off because you were a pirate, and you were running from a marine. At least, that's what you said, right? But now it's different."  
  
She pointed her bokken to the ones on the ground near Zoro's feet.  
  
"I can see your potential for the first time, now. Fight me with your true style, Roronoa Zoro. Let me see if I am a worthy opponent to your strength."  
  
"I don't--"  
  
He was interrupted as she swung her bokken at him suddenly, the tip just grazing the zip on his blazer. Tashigi moved forward, her glasses slipping down the tip of her nose as she slashed diagonally towards his chest, only to have it intercepted with a dull thud with another bokken. She felt almost relieved when she saw he had two of the bokkens in his hands, but it fell as she saw the third bokken still on the ground.  
  
"What? Scared of germs?"  
  
Tashigi snapped, her eyes darting from the bokken amidst the artificial grass to his teeth. The rain began to fall in thicker sheets as Zoro threw her bokken off and stepped back.  
  
"If you want a fair match, you're going to have to accept two things."  
  
His voice was as grim as his expression, the tone lacing it defeated.  
  
"One is that I don't use a sword in my teeth unless it's the Wadou. I won't even try to explain why, so don't ask."  
  
Her eyes flashed angrily as she opened her mouth, but he cut any words she might have said with a death-glare as he snapped,  
  
"Don't argue, either. The other thing is, I don't want to have to look at you. So..."  
  
Tashigi watched, her jaw dropped open as he pulled his blue bandanna off, held it by opposite corners and tightly binded the material around his eyes. He resumed his stance with his bokkens in either hand, looking as though the blindfold didn't bother him in the least.  
  
"Let's start this now, shall we?"  
  
"Wh-wha-- WAIT!!"  
  
Tashigi managed to yell, spluttering,  
  
"This is ridiculous!! How is this a fair match to you?!"  
  
"You mean you call the last fight we had a fair match? When the rain was pouring and you didn't have your glasses on?"  
  
"Those are reading glasses!!!"  
  
Tashigi yelled, but Zoro snorted.  
  
"Whatever, same thing."  
  
"They are not!!!"  
  
"Do you want a match or not?!"  
  
Zoro snapped irritably,  
  
"I'm not doing it if I have to look at your face!!"  
  
Tashigi grit her teeth, but knew she didn't really have a choice. Hoping Zoro couldn't see, Tashigi slid her glasses off and into her pocket. The rain was falling so hard it blotted her vision with a constant sheen of droplets that distorted everything, and remembered that this was the same reason she had taken them off back at Logue Town.  
  
"Fine!"  
  
She exclaimed angrily, and with a hard thwack their bokkens met in mid-air as he swung up to intercept her blow to the neck.  
  
It seemed so similar, yet things couldn't feel so different. She couldn't see his eyes now, but she still caught the white flash of his teeth; every so often he would grin whenever she made a sharp save to block his attacks.  
  
He knew where she was and where her attacks were coming from with amazing accuracy, and it occurred to Tashigi it might be easier for him this way; people relied too much on vision sometimes, and that was when they made fatal mistakes. Obviously, Zoro knew that.  
  
Their bokkens did not make the resonating clang of blades, either - it made dull thuds and thwacks. It sounded drawn back and muffled, and Tashigi longed for the wood to morph into metal, for the feel of a tightly wrapped handle beneath her fingers and not the spongey layer pasted to the wooden handle...  
  
And, Tashigi just noticed something else as he swung his bokkens to meet hers with a hard clack - the impact wasn't hard enough and she pressed forward, sliding her bokken off his with a sharp increase in pressure and gained advantage as she nearly caught his side off-guard. However, he just barely managed to counter the sword with a fast swing - and he let out an annoyed growl. Tashigi could feel some strange sense of frustration that seemed to be mounting in Zoro.   
  
He couldn't believe how much his body had deteriorated in comparison to his old body. The amounts of strength he was channelling into his slashes weren't working nearly as well as he hoped; his muscles complained as loudly as they had done the night he'd performed the Hawk Wave. During the Hawk Wave Zoro had not required this much use of muscle. Now he realised he must have blown his muscles apart or something, and was probably still recovering because they suddenly hurt like hell from the over-exertion.  
  
Zoro stubbornly ignored the will to succumb to the lactic-acid build up, and instead worked them harder as Tashigi started a flurry of attacks aimed for a centre point in his stomach. As he deflected all her attacks and heard her give an identical grunt of frustration identical to his own, Zoro wondered if he should start settling for less amounts of strength in each attack -- and the split second he spent thinking Tashigi landed a blow on his left hand. The wood smashed his knuckles into the handle with a painful-sounding crack.  
  
Damn, it hurt. Zoro's fingers loosened, his knuckles momentarily paralysed from pain, but Tashigi was far more quicker than his recovery; the next thing Zoro knew, the bokken was hit and the handle slid out of his grip, the other bokken clattering along with it. Feeling the rain finally soak through to his skin as she brought her bokken slashing down aside him, he backed up, and found to his amusement that he was backed up against a wall. Her wooden weapon struck the wall beside his ear with a final-sounding clack.  
  
Lightning flashed a blinding white through the bandanna as Zoro felt rain drip off his bangs. Thunder rolled in the distance as the rain pounded onto the astroturf, and Zoro suddenly found himself grinning.  
  
"Well, what do you know? You won."  
  
Zoro said with an almost cheerful tilt. Not that he was surprised; he was finally beginning to make up the oxygen debt and was breathing harder than usual. He was just making a mental note to himself to start working out, when he was startled to hear Tashigi sniffle.  
  
"Whoa, what's wrong? You that happy to win?"  
  
Zoro asked, lifting a hand to remove the bandanna around his eyes. Tears were streaming past Tashigi's cheeks as she lowered her bokken, her brown eyes not facing him but downcast.  
  
"That was no defeat, Roronoa, and you know it. That was not a fair match."  
  
"I agree. You don't have your glasses on. In essence, we were both blind during the match. I thought some of your attacks were a little too far to the left..."  
  
Zoro trailed off into silence as Tashigi pressed a hand into her eyes, threatening to push her eyeballs into the confines of her skull from the pressure.  
  
"You weren't doing your best at all. You couldn't see. You weren't using your true style. And you pulled all your muscles."  
  
"You can tell, huh?"  
  
Zoro said, and Tashigi gave a short, sharp exhalement of breath before she whispered,  
  
"And in the end, I had to take advantage of a moment you were distracted. I had to find a fault in you, not some brilliance in me."  
  
She let out another sniffle as she brought both hands to her face, and Zoro caught a glimpse of silvery tracks past her throat that was not rain.  
  
"Do you think it really is because I am a woman, Zoro?"  
  
Tashigi whispered,  
  
"Was I right in thinking you didn't finish me off last time because-- I was a girl?"  
  
Her voice cracked as she choked out,  
  
"Or am I just weak?"  
  
Zoro leaned against the wall and immediately felt a torrent of rain pour down his back from the layer of water pouring down the wall. He ignored it as he brought his eyes to the girl standing before him, her shoulders hunched and her face in her hands as her shoulders convulsed from her sobs.  
  
"...Most women don't train themselves to fight."  
  
Zoro said,  
  
"I have an unwritten rule in me that allows me to try to not hurt women like that. But the rule also means I will treat women with strength with the same way I will treat any worthy opponent."  
  
"...So I am just weak, am't I?"  
  
Zoro scowled.  
  
"Are you listening to me? Sure, to say you lost to me because you are a woman is a blatant excuse. It's a cowardly reason to evade the truth. You think you have a weaker mind than you do, Tashigi."  
  
She did not say anything, and Zoro paused before he picked up on a different strand.  
  
"I didn't fight you with the Wadou and I didn't perform a finishing blow at the end for the same reason, Tashigi. You'll never know my full potential - my body is ill-adapted in this world, and in the other, we just don't work out."  
  
"...Why is that, Zoro? Is it because you're a pirate, and you've got to run from me?"  
  
"No. It's the reason you feel is petty and stupid. But hear me now, Tashigi, because I am never telling you this again. I've told you already that you look like her. Well, here's a better way to put it: you look **too much** like her."  
  
His teeth grinded together as he continued,  
  
"In that world, my entire life uptil the day I died was built upon my sworn promise with _her_. We had a promise that depended on our futures, but then she died. Do you get it yet? She died, Tashigi - fate took her before she could do anything about it. That's why her will to accomplish it became my everything - I fought _for her_. But then you-- you look just like her, you share her ideas, and what's worst is that you're a friggin' swordsman!!"  
  
Zoro didn't even notice his volume rising.  
  
"I can't fight you properly because you-- _you're an insult to my word and the meaning in her death_."  
  
"But that's not my fault!"  
  
Tashigi blurted out angrily from behind her fingers, but Zoro cut in yelling,  
  
"I don't care!! I know it's not your fault - that you can't help looking like her, that you can't help saying the same things, whatever - but _it matters to me_. I can't face you, no matter what! This doesn't work, you understand?! It's not happening here - it's not our place to at the moment!"  
  
Tashigi pulled her hands from her face, her eyes inquiring as she searched his face.  
  
"What do you mean, it's not our place?"  
  
"Because... we're different. We're not exactly what we were before. There's something empty in us, and that emptiness causes deep flaws. And things are missing here. I have no Wadou. You have no confidence. We can't do anything here because it's not the same, and this emptiness created is because we can't do anything about what we couldn't accomplish before. We can never fight properly in this world, Tashigi."  
  
He looked back at her drenched frame, her soaking locks of hair stuck to her skin and the confusion in her chocolate eyes. And he found he just had to say something to reassure the helplessness they were both feeling.  
  
"Maybe... maybe one day, if we return to that world and we meet again there - perhaps something may happen, and something may change. But it isn't happening in this world, because it isn't our place here. Because you aren't the marine you were, and because I'm no longer a pirate."  
  
There was a stunned silence at the other end as she realised that the reasons she had thought were valid for them to fight were the same reasons they couldn't.  
  
"...Then why were you attracted to me?"  
  
She whispered, then realised how it sounded and stuttered,  
  
"I-I mean, why did you feel inclined to talk to me in the first place?"  
  
"...I guess we have a different goal here."  
  
He replied. Tashigi frowned as she asked,  
  
"But what goal could we possibly have in this world?"  
  
"How about to restore your faith in yourself?"  
  
Tashigi's head snapped up, her eyes wide. Seeing her surprise, Zoro elaborated a little.  
  
"I knew it from the start, but it became definite from your attacks... it felt like you weren't sure if they were all going to hit. And if they did, you would hit with new vigor, and then fall back again if I countered and gained an advantage."  
  
Zoro raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"If you're going to do anything against that wacko gang of girls, you're going to have to do something about your confidence."  
  
Tashigi was quiet for a moment before she spoke again.  
  
"Does there always have to be a motive, Zoro?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean... do you think there always is a motive when someone approaches someone else? It seems to me no one has approached me for anything other than a reason."  
  
That same sad smile flickered past her lips once more.  
  
"Are you implying that you think I have a motive?"  
  
Zoro asked, just the hint of warning edging his voice.  
  
"Well, you approached me because I was familiar, and now your 'goal' sounds like a moti--"  
  
Zoro cut in,  
  
"That's not true! I didn't mean it like that when I said the goal thing, okay?! That's something else entirely different from a motive! And I didn't talk to you at first because I thought you were familiar. I mean we sort of did a lot at the dinner dance night, and -- and, it's just that you're just really comfortable to be with, and I-- I like... being with..."  
  
He trailed off as Tashigi's face flushed despite the cold. Zoro seemed to suddenly realise what he had nearly said, because he quickly averted his eyes from hers and said hastily,  
  
"Look, there's something about our world I'd like to talk about with you."  
  
"Uhm... I am sort of curious about the return to the other world. What do you mean by that?"  
  
"...That's not something I want to talk about in the rain on the astroturf."  
  
The green-head turned and started to walk away from the astroturf but stopped as Tashigi yelped,  
  
"Wait! You're supposed to put back the bokkens--"  
  
He turned, grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the storage room as he muttered,  
  
"Get a grip, it's pouring now - our priority is to get out of the rain, not be neat and tidy."  
  
"We were standing in the rain for ages so we're sopping anyway-- let go!!--"  
  
"That's right, let's go!"  
  
"Wh-wh-what?!! I said let go, not let's go, are you deaf--?!"  
  
Tashigi's splutters carried all the way down the stairs, the topic turning to the colour of Zoro's hair as the bokkens lay forgotten and soaked on the astroturf, looking sadly rather forlorn.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Urgh. Cruddy chapter. =-=;; Forgive me... I edited it a lot, and there are still so many mistakes. But I got my first FAQ up! ^_^; So forgive me, please. Nami is thinking a lot of other things while she's talking to Sanji in this chapter, by the way, so don't be fooled. :P You're all the sweetest, people..... ^_^* Thanks for sticking with me all this time. I know super long stories tend to drag on and ON and ON.... and that the writing just gets boring, and the plot gets weird and predictable and all that... so I sincerely feel really really happy and excited that people are still reading and giving me a chance. *huggles* XD You're all zee best. So, as always, thanks for all your kind words and for bearing with my crappy writing uptil now. *bows***  
  
  
The sad sad sad sad sad sad sad etc. FAQ/SJAQ link can't be shown on fanfiction.net uploads, so you have to be even sadder and get to it by closing all the spaces. Wheeee. =-=;;  
h t t p : / / w w w . a n g e l f i r e . c o m / a n i m e 3 / r u f i a n g e l / f a q . h t m l   
  
  
Next Update Date: ...Thursday/Friday sound okay? ^_^;  
  
  



	43. Mental

  
  
"Kent."  
  
He looked up from his computer.  
  
"What is it, Jenna?"  
  
She was frowning, looking at a sheet of paper in her hand.  
  
"...You know how in GLU, the weekends change classes all the time, right?"  
  
"Yeah, it was that way before I was expelled," Kent said. Jenna raised an eyebrow.  
  
"It just occurred to me we don't know how to nab the students on Saturday, then. We don't know their classes or their class times then. But I know their timetables for the weekdays. Those remain the same the entire semester."  
  
Kent groaned.  
  
"NOW you remind me. Great, Jenna."  
  
"Well, at least I'm telling you now. It's Wednesday. Tell them to change it to Friday."  
  
He sighed.  
  
"I guess I'll have to. Damn it... I just hope Waporu doesn't bite my head off,"  
  
He grumbled. Jenna started giggling but stopped shortly when Kent gave her a pointed look and said seriously,  
  
"Literally."  
  
  
  
  
  
"I always had visions, but I never knew what they were for."  
  
Tashigi said, and sipping her soda she added,  
  
"Now it makes a whole lot more sense."  
  
"Yeah. So the angel guy brings up this little marble thing, and it transports us to a virtual time we died or something. And we're practising trying to beat up that guy and return to where we originally belong."  
  
Zoro poked a straw into Tashigi's soda and began to drink it fairly quickly. She attempted to swat his hand away, frowning as she took in his words.  
  
"Wait a minute. You mean to say everyone? Even the people who don't participate in beating up the bad man?"  
  
"Yeah. It's not really up to you guys. Besides, we're not even really supposed to be here."  
  
"But what happens to our bodies here, then?"  
  
The green-head blinked, pausing and allowing Tashigi to flick his straw out and hold her soda protectively. He reached for it as he admitted,  
  
"I have no idea. We could ask Kale about it."  
  
"He's in your dorm, is he?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"But you know," Tashigi said thoughtfully as she artfully dodged a swipe for the can of soda, "I'm curious about that marble thing. I mean... well, when I was found, I had a marble thing with me too."  
  
"Found?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow as he tried a sneak attack to her left, but she smartly shifted the soda to her right as she explained,  
  
"I was brought up by foster parents who found me abandoned in a parking lot. They found me with this weird little black orb thing. I've got it somewhere - it looks like a black marble, but there's a strange feeling about it. It doesn't feel like glass, either."  
  
"Could it be the same thing? I wonder why you'd have it, though..."  
  
Zoro mused, settling back to his seat in a defeated pose. Tashigi relaxed and took a swallow of her drink.  
  
"D'you think I could go over and ask him some time?"  
  
Zoro nodded, and without warning he made a wild grab for the soda. She saw it coming and tightly held the can, and he ended up clapping his palms over her hands on the soda. There was a short pause of silence as the two stared at their hands.  
  
Tashigi let go abruptly, her face burning as Zoro obliviously took the soda and drained it with a triumphant glance in her direction. Eyes narrowing she grumbled,  
  
"Buy your own next time."  
  
"What, there's no rule that guys have to buy the girls everything."  
  
"Yeah, I hate that," Tashigi agreed, "But it's no excuse for you to expect _me_ to buy you your dinner all the time!"  
  
Zoro snorted as he told her,  
  
"I don't believe in traditional dates."  
  
Tashigi flushed scarlet as her eyes widened.  
  
"Wha-- you-- we-- d-d-d--?!"  
  
She failed to get the words out as Zoro stood up saying,  
  
"It's late. I'll walk to you back to your dorm."  
  
Her face pink, she stood up and followed him.  
  
_Does he have any idea what he just said? Was it just his way of expressing things or does it mean anything else to him?_  
  
She wanted to see his expression, but he kept his back to her. She knew though that he probably didn't think anything about it, and felt like some silly girl who thought far too much.  
  
Zoro, meanwhile, was kicking himself mentally and hoping she didn't catch the redness in his ears.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kaya brooded in her room, coughing painfully into her pillow but refusing to open the door to Merii's rapid knocks. Why did this feel so familiar? Did it happen before? Her eyes lingered on the brown envelope on her desk, and she scowled.  
  
_"What are you thinking of, young man?! Taking a young actress around at the middle of the night!"  
  
Usopp and Kaya stopped dead in their tracks as they saw Krow staring at them eerily, the yellow light of lamp-posts glinting off his lenses. Usopp swallowed, but he looked determinedly back at the man as he said quite boldly,  
  
"It's not the middle of the night. It's just nine-thirty. And I was just showing her the sights. You kept her so cooped up in that house she didn't even know several of life's essentials. So I volunteered to show her some... like staying up past nine."  
  
Krow's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Kaya nervously turned to tug at the engineer's shirt.  
  
"Usopp-san, please! Please leave-- Klahadol, stop it, he was really just--"  
  
"No, Miss Kaya," Krow interrupted, his suspicious eyes never leaving Usopp, "Let the man continue." The edge of Krow's lips quirked upwards in a strange smirk. "What other sort of these-- er, 'life's essentials' do you claim to have taught Miss Kaya, then?"  
  
"Stuff like it's easy to make mistakes. How to take things easy. That a lot of things are lot more funnier than you'd expect. And that you should never eat ice-cream with whipped cream without a packet of chocolate chips."  
  
Usopp said it so coldly and without hesitation Kaya looked at him in surprise, at loss of how to react. Krow acted much faster, and grabbed Kaya's arm to pull her away from the engineer.  
  
"Please stay away from Miss Kaya. Your presence is obviously casting bad influences that I dare say may twist her into wrong-doing. For example, making her think the world is much more easier than it is. Or, loaning you money. Is that what you want?"  
  
Usopp's eyes visibly darkened, and his fist tightened into what was unmistakably a punching fist. However, after a few seconds of enraged trembling, Usopp shook his head sharply and turned around. He started to walk off as Krow shouted after him,  
  
"Don't you dare come near Miss Kaya again, you stalker fan-boy, or I'll report you to the police!"  
  
"Klahadol!!" Kaya gasped as Usopp stopped walking. He turned around, his eyes narrowed as he growled,  
  
"I'll do as Kaya wants."  
  
Then he took off on a run. Calling out his name, Kaya started to follow when Krow held her wrist tightly.  
  
"Don't you realise what he's doing to you?!"  
  
Krow snarled. She didn't know what made her do it, but an indescribable anger filled her and the next thing she knew, she'd slapped Krow right across the face. Then she exhaled sharply, her hands flying to her face as she whispered,  
  
"I'm so sorry... I--I didn't mean--"  
  
"Clearly his influence," Krow said frostily, and shoved into Kaya's arms a large brown envelope.  
  
"Take it. They are papers required for the witness. Go through them later and tell me if there are any irregularities."  
  
He stalked off rigidly as Kaya held the envelope with shaking fingers. Quite suddenly Krow snapped,  
  
"If I see him around this place again, I will assure you I will report him. Do not meet with that pompous fake again!"  
_   
He then walked away so quickly Kaya didn't have time to think up enough words to phrase the thoughts in her head. And now here she was - Usopp's cell phone was off, Krow was acting horrendous, Merii was worried yet irritating and Kaya felt extremely angry and confused.  
  
She didn't know what to do about that stupid envelope, but she'd go through the papers later. She tried to get past her coughing fit, not wanting to open the door for Merii to question her blotchy eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
Vivi was extremely frustrated.  
  
Not only was she able to talk to anyone about the strange connection she felt with Kohza, a student she had never spoken to in her life but knew the name of, but her room-mate had locked her out for a night and was now missing.  
  
"Damn it Nami!!"  
  
Vivi muttered, jiggling the card key into its slot when she noticed a little boy wandering towards her. _A little boy? At this time of night?_ She looked at him look around for a moment before he noticed her. His eyes flitted to the acryllic numbers at the door before he smiled.  
  
"Is Nami in?"  
  
He chirped. Vivi shook her head wordlessly, frowning. There was something strange about this boy. Just as he'd asked her his question, his eyes had looked up at her from behind his glasses - and she was sure she'd seen something similar before.  
  
"Right. Sorry to bother you."  
  
Smiling sweetly, the boy continued across the floor.  
  
"...Uhm, sorry, but have I met you somewhere before?" Vivi blurted out. The boy stopped and frowned, running a hand through his black hair.  
  
"I... don't think so," He said hesitantly, and without another word turned and practically ran out of sight. Vivi frowned. _Weird..._ She entered her dorm to find it empty once more, and the thoughts about Nami clouded her mind so much she failed to notice that the pented pain and frustration in her had disappated the moment she'd seen the young boy.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I really hate it when I confuse dreams with reality,"  
  
Nami complained,  
  
"and what with this whole reincarnation business I'm mixing everything up worse than usual."  
  
"I understand exactly what you mean. I woke up this morning at dawn and began cracking eggs and cooking bacon at 5AM when I remembered I wasn't a chef for a crew anymore. So I still have a load of omelette in the freezer!"  
  
Sanji sighed, shaking his head as Nami laughed. He poured more lemon tea into her mug, and as she sipped he settled back into his chair looking contemplative. There was a moment of comfortable quiet before Sanji spoke.  
  
"Nami-san."  
  
Nami noticed the change in Sanji's tone - from blissful and pleasant to quite and thoughtful - and looked at him. He was cradling a mug of lemon tea in his hands as he murmured,  
  
"You're a very smart woman so I'd like to ask for your personal opinion on this matter... because I was thinking of it quite a lot. What... what do you think will happen to our bodies when we go back? You know, to the other dimension and everything."  
  
She blinked before her brows furrowed as she bit into another orange cookie.  
  
"Well... it would depend whether or not we stay in this world or not, right?"  
  
She said carefully. The model frowned.  
  
"Do we have a choice?"  
  
Nami shrugged, her eyes flickering to the face on her wristwatch.  
  
"I don't know... all I know is that I think we have choices and that fate can't exactly exist. It's getting late... I-- I think I should be going."  
  
She gave him a weak smile as she stood up slowly.  
  
"Thanks for the cookies and your time, Sanji-kun. You... you know I appreciate it."  
  
Brightening her smile the best she could, Nami turned around to head for the door - when quite suddenly, she felt his warm hand grab her around the wrist. The smile fell from her face as she spun round to face his concerned eyes in surprise.  
  
"Nami-san... I did say that you're a very smart woman - and I do believe it, I really do... but I-- I still think you could use help sometimes. Like when you're in internal conflict... I mean, I know I don't know that much about emotions and feelings, but--"  
  
"No, Sanji-kun," Nami interrupted, her eyes downcast, "you're quite the contrary... you're a really expressive guy with a strong outlet for your emotions. But I'm not quite sure if that's what I need at the moment."  
  
She looked sadly up at him as she whispered, "To be truthful with you... I'm feeling quite emotionally fragile at the moment. I'm not sure I can take the strain if I poured myself out to you."  
  
The blonde suddenly looked so sad and lost, Nami felt her heart twist as he asked almost desperately,  
  
"Is there nothing I can do?"  
  
"...It still hurts to look at you."  
  
Nami took his fingers off from around her wrist, and giving him a last smile she left the dormitory and shut the door with a snap.  
  
He stood there, his mouth still open as he stared at the door as his mind remained blank.  
  
Then all the words Sanji had wanted to tell her - to ask her to tell him what he could do, what it would take - to make her understand he didn't care about himself as much as he cared for her -- came tumbling in a flood of words into his mind, and he ran to the door and wrenched it open.  
  
He darted into the hallway, but it was devoid of anyone. His eyes searched desperately, and he quickly took onto the front staircase and bolted down it.  
  
His footsteps echoed away, and Nami smiled sadly from her place in the back staircase. It was late, and the security teachers were going to come patrolling soon. She had to make it back to her dorm soon, and she noted how empty the back staircase was - there were no couples trying to sneak in secret snogging sessions, or any random passerby. She supposed it was because it was getting fairly late; she quickened her step, hoping she could get back before...  
  
She stopped before she could finish the first flight of stairs, and teetered dangerously at the edge of a step as she swayed on the spot. She had been feeling awful the entire day, and the battle for her soul still raged on at the back of her head, though she was successfully blocking their voices out. However, she knew what was going to happen... she could sense it.  
  
She was losing. Her soul's voice was growing more and more tired and feeble, the other voice sounding stronger and more arrogant every passing moment. She wished she could carry Luffy around in her pocket, but even she knew she shouldn't depend on anyone that much. She had to be able to depend on herself... but as Nami pressed a hand to her forehead and felt sweat break out from the powerfully grinding headache in her brain, she'd known all along that she wasn't enough.  
  
Nami still didn't know what it took for the full revival of her soul, but the deprivation of her source of strength, personality and emotion - namely, her soul - had been increasing as she continued to resolutely exchange denial for short-term painlessness. But the price she had to pay for those short moments of ill peace were devastating enough to make her feel extremely weak and tired, the pains and aches too constant to matter now, and Nami knew she was losing control...  
  
**That's right... just let go... you're tired...**  
  
The other voice crooned invitingly. Nami's soul moaned pleadingly,  
  
...Don't do it...  
  
Her knees gave out and she grazed her knees as she fell onto the concrete landing three steps below, her shoulder taking the brunt of the fall as she fell with a harsh thud onto the ground.  
  
She saw another brief vision as her eyes clouded with dark, stormy skies and splattering rain, a searing pain in her throat and spine as she saw her hand soaked in blood that wasn't hers... and a piece of black cloth... Sanji's tie-- then she blinked and she saw the gloomy darkness of the back staircase swim back into view, an ominous pounding in her ears.  
  
A twisted smile briefly flickered across Nami's lips as she realised - she didn't want this anymore.  
  
She didn't want the responsibility, the burden, the pain... she didn't want to face Sanji again with this sort of demeanor or ambiguous smiles. Everyone... was expecting too much from her. She wasn't like their strong mentalities. No... she just couldn't take it.  
  
Her vision blurred suddenly, and hot tears spilled down her cheek to the concrete. Her soul reached its limit, and the twisted smile faded.  
  
"I'm so sorry Luffy."  
  
She whispered.  
  
And Nami let go.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Are we... getting anywhere? O_o;; Uhm... will bring you the 'Reborn' website sometime soon. By any case, sorry for the late update. I guess next update is next Thursday/Friday again... and now it's 12:30AM and I should be getting to sleep, I'll just have to SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS and all your support. ;_; Thank you! Especially for standing me until now. *bows***   
  



	44. Thursday

  
The morning light filtered through the leaves of a large oak tree, dappling the grass and the young, brooding boy nestled between two large roots. He turned over, sighing, but the warmth of the morning did not carry him to sleep again. He was hoping for a nap to rid himself of the disturbing senses trying to grip him, and muttered a curse as he found that his severe case of insomnia since the previous night had not yet disppated.  
  
Turning over to the other side, the Messenger Angel suddenly met huge violet eyes face to face.  
  
"_DON'T DO THAT!!!_"  
  
The small girl grinned as Kale tore off his glasses to glare at her full-on.  
  
"It's fun to see you get all startled." She sang, plopping down next to Kale. He blinked.  
  
"...Violet?"  
  
She nodded, smiling mischievously at him. "I remember you, now. You're Luffy, aren't you?"  
  
Kale shook his head. "I'm sorry, but Luffy's taking a nap now. And... sorry about this, but I'd like to speak to Rendel."  
  
Violet pouted, but when she looked at Kale again she had changed souls.  
  
"Is something up, Kale?"  
  
"...Yeah. A lot of things, actually." Kale ran a hand through his hair, letting out his breath in a puff as he collected his thoughts. "A lot of angels are here. I've just realised that. They're all like... higher ranks than Messenger Angels. There were three Gold and five Silver Angels in the cafeteria, and I think I saw an Archangel on the third floor while coming down. I mean, what's the deal? Is something going on?"  
  
"I _told_ you," The Silver Angel said impatiently, "Valandi Kriquelleif is up to his tricks again, so a couple of Gold and Archangels were dispatched to protect this dimension."  
  
"Do you know what he plans to do?"  
  
Rendel shrugged. "That's anyone's guess, isn't it?"  
  
"He's not trying to build up his own empire again, is he?"  
  
She shrugged again.  
  
"I don't know about that. All I know is that I still don't understand why God told Rainte to reincarnate Valandi Kriquelleif, and then banished him to a barren dimension."  
  
"I don't think we should even try to fathom what goes on in That Guy's mind," Kale said wryly, stretching his legs out, "I just don't know whether to be on my guard or not..."  
  
"...Valandi Kriquelleif is going to act up soon." Rendel said quietly, "I can feel it. Hurry with the Oda Dimension revival, Kale... everyone in that world is counting on you."  
  
She sneaked a peek at him to see he was looking downcast and depressed.  
  
Perhaps he's sensing it too, Rendel mused. In her dreams, she hadn't been able to tell him but... Kale had died. She had a feeling Kale knew it, too. Angels, neverminding their rank, always had a knack of knowing when their last days were near.  
  
And Rendel had a dark feeling that Valandi Kriquelleif's recent movements being so close to Kale's nearing death day was no coincidence.  
  
  
  
  
  
There were rapid knocks on the door, and Tashigi leapt up from the edge of her bed from surprise. She'd been expecting Zoro, but not _this_ early.  
  
"I'm coming, hang on--"  
  
She pulled the door open, and immediately had an armful of boxes shoved into her hands. She blinked, her glasses crooked as she craned her neck around the boxes to see Yuina holding more boxes.  
  
"Yuina?!" Tashigi, extremely surprised.  
  
"Yeah-- sorry, could you hold these for a minute--"  
  
Tashigi stumbled backwards, lost her balance and the boxes flew across to the other side of the room.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She cried, then watched Yuina pile up the rest of her boxes onto the spare bed at the opposite end of the dorm. The dark-haired girl shook her head.  
  
"That's okay. I gave you boxes without anything fragile in it on purpose anyway. Besides, it's me who's charging in on you."  
  
"Er... what?" Tashigi blinked as Yuina flopped onto the mattress.  
  
"Any spare pillows?" Yuina asked, sitting up and ignoring Tashigi's question. Tashigi pointed to a closet that held all the spare sheets and pillows.  
  
"You're... moving in?" She knew she sounded like a moron stating the obvious, but Tashigi had no idea what on earth would inspire Yuina to do so. Was it another scam of Jenna's?  
  
"Yeah. You..." Yuina looked at her uneasily for a moment as she tucked sheets around the mattress, "...don't mind that much... do you?"  
  
"You did sort of verbally and physically abuse me for the past few months. Oh, I don't know..." Tashigi was surprised at the amount of bite in her voice, and Yuina seemed to shrink away from her sudden coldness. Tashigi felt guilty for grating at one of the nicest girls from the group, then mentally yelled at herself for feeling guilty. Yuina murmured,  
  
"I didn't want to do it." Settling onto her mattress, she ran a hand through her hair as her green eyes looked depressedly at the floor. "I really didn't want to do it, Tashigi. I was new back then, and I was just glad I'd managed to make friends, but..." The green eyes briefly flickered over Tashigi sadly before she said tiredly, "I didn't know they depended so much on being better than others. And I really didn't see what was so wrong with you. It was Jenna who cheated on Smoker first, anyway."  
  
Tashigi's eyes widened at this, but Yuina continued, unaware.  
  
"I was just... I don't know. I was an idiot for thinking they should be able to get away with everything. And I guess you were the person who made me realise what was just... well, _right._" Yuina looked at Tashigi in the eyes as she said softly, "I'm sorry they don't see it."  
  
"...How do I know this isn't one of Jenna's stupid plans? How am I supposed to trust you?" Tashigi folded her arms, raising an eyebrow as Yuina bit her lip.  
  
"...I don't know. You can send me out if you want, but I have no where else to go. Karen kicked me out of our dorm, so I've no choice."  
  
"Why'd you get kicked out?" Tashigi asked in surprise. Yuina shrugged, and failed to properly hide her wince of pain. Then Tashigi noticed the hint of a purpling bruise swelling beneath her shirt sleeve, a reddish hue blotching Yuina's left cheek and a bandage around her ankles. She immediately got the idea of what might have happened, but did not comment, however, and instead sighed heavily.  
  
"Well... you can stay. But if you try anything funny, like go through my belongings--"  
  
"--you can knock the stuffing out of me with your kendo. Yes, I know-- I just... want to get to know you better, Tashigi. I swear I'm not here as an enemy."  
  
"How'd you know about my kendo?!"  
  
"I always knew. You're in a higher set than Jenna, and I always saw you get out of class while waiting for Jenna's class to end. You... didn't know Jenna takes kendo too, did you?"  
  
Tashigi shook her head wordlessly, and Yuina said quietly, "She has more bark than bite."  
  
Tashigi finally smiled herself as she nodded.  
  
"I always knew that, too." She said. Yuina smiled.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why are you staring at me like that?"  
  
Yosaku and Johnny exchanged glances as Zoro looked at them quizzically.  
  
"Is there something on my face or something?" He rubbed at his nose as Yosaku said hastily,  
  
"No, that's not the case! Er... it's just that you lied to us really badly."  
  
"Lied to you?" Zoro echoed, raising a brow.  
  
"You were so against having a girlfriend to the dinner-dance, remember? You said your last college banned couples."  
  
"It did." The green-head had a sinking feeling he knew what this was about, and he was proved correct as Johnny demanded,  
  
"So tell us what's up with you and that raven chick!"  
  
"Who would that be?" Trying to play dumb didn't work very well, because the two stared at him so incredulously he could practically feel his nose shooting forwards in an act of Pinocchio.  
  
"The girl with the glasses and dark hair. The girl with a penchant for tripping and stumbling. The girl you've been seen around with quite a lot."  
  
"Oh. Her." Zoro hoped the nonchalance in his voice was enough. "She's just a friend."  
  
"Are you _suuuure_?"  
  
"Get a life," He snapped, when Yosaku noted,  
  
"Your ears are getting red."  
  
Zoro was saved from answering when a blue-haired girl suddenly grabbed onto his arm. He blinked, and immediately recognised her.  
  
"Vivi?"  
  
"Mr. Bushido," She gasped, looking a cross between exhausted and desperate, "Sorry, but-- I just-- I was g-going down, but-- I mean-- Nami--"  
  
"Whoa, calm down," Zoro said alarmedly, "What's wrong? Say it slower."  
  
"Nami didn't come in last night-- and I-- oh please, just come," Vivi said desperately, and grabbing Zoro's arm proceeded to frantically pull him away from the kiosk. As they ran into the distance, Yosaku and Johnny stared after, bug-eyed.  
  
"Damn. I guess Zoro's just a chick-magnet. Vivi, Tashigi, Nami..." Johnny shook his head defeatedly. "Even Jenna."  
  
"What happened to her?!" Zoro exclaimed as he saw Nami's crumpled form on the floor, and knelt down to sit her up. Her head lolled to one side, her eyelids half-open to reveal dead-looking eyes.  
  
"I don't know," Vivi said, her voice on the verge of cracking, "I was going down the back staircase this morning and I just saw her, and I-- I didn't know how to take her to the infirmary, so I was looking--"  
  
"Calm down, she's just unconcious." Zoro draped Nami's arms over his shoulders and picked her up easily over his back. He noticed it felt somewhat familiar, but he ignored the feeling. "Let's get to the infirmary." He began to trot up the stairs when Vivi called out,  
  
"Wait! That's the opposite direction!! It's downstairs!"  
  
Zoro sighed, grumbling under his breath, but hoisting Nami up he followed Vivi's back.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Nami-san?"  
  
Sanji frowned as the door creaked open at his knocks, and hesitantly poked his head into the room. Neither Vivi or Nami were in there, so he shut the door and banged his forehead against the door.  
  
"Sandy... no. Sanji-san." Sanji blinked, and turned to face Vivi looking at him from blood-shot eyes.  
  
"Vivi-chan? What's wrong?" He asked, and Vivi groaned as she leaned against the wall, rubbing her eyes. The model tried not to let a sense of panic overtake him.  
  
"...Where's Nami-san?"  
  
"...I'm starting to understand what Nami was going through..." Vivi muttered, running a hand through her hair, and looking at Sanji she said softly, "I found her unconcious at the back-staircase this morning. She's in the infirmary now."  
  
Sanji's jaw dropped open, his eyes widening, and silence reigned for a few seconds as thoughts rushed through his head at freight-train speed. Without warning he sprinted past Vivi and practically hurled himself down the stairs.  
  
  
  
  
  
She knew he wouldn't answer his cell-phone even if it did ring. Kaya buried her head in her pillows, sighing. She was sinking back into deep depression, and she knew it -- but she just didn't have the heart to try to pull herself out of it.  
  
"Stupid Klahadol," She mumbled into her pillows. Her eyes flickered over to the brown envelope on her desk, and she scowled at it before turning over to smother her coughs into the pillow so Merii wouldn't have to hear it.  
  
Then her phone rang.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Her voice sounded so hopeful. Krow scowled.  
  
"It's me, Miss Kaya. I just wanted to inform you that I would like those papers for the witnesses in by Friday. I'll go to collect them at Friday night."  
  
"...Right."  
  
She hung up with a slam of the phone, and Krow's scowl deepened. However, his fingers went to one of the many envelopes tucked under his arm, and his scowl fell away to a smile.  
  
The bloodshed was being sped up. Everything was to happen tomorrow... and all Krow had to do was secure that Stormland business, which he undoubtedly already had.  
  
As he sauntered off towards Cheryl Maine's home, he was so caught up with visualising his plans tomorrow he failed to notice the severe lack of blood on the envelope he was mindlessly stroking.  
  
And if Kaya had looked at the envelope closely enough any time throughout the day, she would have noticed a rust-coloured crust around the edge that definitely didn't belong there.  
  
  
  
  
  
Usopp knocked on Zoro's dorm door with a depressed expression, and let himself in as Luffy unlocked the door.  
  
He slumped into a chair and bit into a marshmallow fudge square Sanji had left behind, when he noticed he wasn't the only seriously down-cast one.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"...Nami." Zoro answered before taking a swig from the can of beer in his hand, "She's completely out of it."  
  
Usopp frowned.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She had a nervous breakdown... I think. I just hope it isn't what I think it is. Because if that's the case, it's a worst-case scenario."  
  
"What's worse than a nervous breakdown?!" Usopp cried, but without waiting for a reply he started to rush towards the door. He stopped, though, when Zoro called out,  
  
"I wouldn't suggest going."  
  
The engineer raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
_"Nami-san!! What happened to her?!"  
  
"Fell down the stairs, apparently."  
  
"Bullshit. She's... she's... ...Nami-san..."_  
  
"Because Sanji is going all 'Romeo and Juilet' on her. Let them be - you can see her tomorrow."  
  
Usopp looked extremely irritated, but he complied and sank back into his chair. He bit into another fudge square.  
  
"What are going to do about saving our dimension, Kale?"  
  
Luffy shook his head.  
  
"Sorry guys - Kale said he was tired, so he's sleeping."  
  
"What? Is something wrong?"  
  
Luffy nodded, trying to chew quickly so that the marshmallow wouldn't glue his teeth together.  
  
"I don't know what... but something's bothering him." The boy shrugged. "Guess we'll have to try again tomorrow. I bet Nami will be up and going by then!"  
  
Zoro crunched his can and tossed it into the growing pile behind him before pulling out another can from the fridge.  
  
"I don't know if she'll be in any condition to go through that virtual simulation, though." Zoro said quietly before drinking deeply. Usopp and Luffy exchanged glances, both unused to the solemnity in the room.  
  
It wasn't long before they were in a game which involved stone-paper-scissors, liberal amounts of marshmallow fudge squares and a lot of exclamations and thwacking. By the end of it, all of them had their jaws glued together by marshmallow.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sanji didn't know what to do.  
  
He failed to help her every single time, and he didn't know how to help her now. She looked so frail and near-dead it was heart-stopping to look at her, but he just had to. The nurse didn't seem to mind him too much and was dozing off in a chair four beds away.  
  
_"She's fine, young man. It looks like a concussion of some sort. She'll be up soon."_  
  
The nurse's words echoed through his head, but he refused to believe it. Was the nurse some sort of moron? Couldn't she see that Nami's white skin, statue-like eyes and limp stance didn't mean anything like 'she'd be up soon'?  
  
Sanji slipped his fingers into Nami's hand, holding it securely, but she did not respond. Her skin felt horribly cold, but Sanji forced himself to clasp it tightly.  
  
Regret was pouring into him from all sides. He hated himself. This was all his fault. If only he'd found her last night, and held onto her hand longer. If only he'd told her earlier how much he'd wanted to help her. If only he'd held her that time she'd run out of the cafe the first time they'd ate together. Damn it, if only he hadn't been so afraid...!  
  
He held her tightly, trying to control the tears threatening to spill. He hated this. This was an entirely different powerless sensation from last time, and he just hated it.  
  
Because he could sense that Nami just... wasn't there. She wasn't sleeping. She wasn't in a faint. She simply just... wasn't.  
  
"..Nami-san... I'm sorry I wasn't there to catch you when you fell. I'll be there next time, I promise..."  
  
Sanji swallowed, holding her hand with both of his own as he looked intently at her pasty complexion. He found himself desperately wanting to see her like she'd been at the Going Merry, where she'd bark out orders, flirtatiously ask for a certain dessert, navigate the ship with streaming confidence and simply laugh and feel free.  
  
"I promise." He repeated.  
  
It was near dawn when Sanji finally fell asleep, his head nestled near her shoulder and her hand tightly held in his own.  
  
  
  
  
  
_You thought You had the best of me, didn't You, God?_  
  
Snickers, hacking laughs, guffaws and giggles that echo over and over and fill his ears.  
  
_Thought I deserved a second chance after killing me, banishing me into this deserted void. Do You know how long I've been here, close to the brink of insanity and never-ending pain? I'm not taking it. No-- nobody's going to take it!!_  
  
Screeching, screaming, scratchy shouts and high-pitched sirens of cheers stretch out, clawed fingers and bulging, blind eyes swerving and reaching wildly for the dark figure perched somewhere above, amongst the darkness.  
  
_He banished you here for no good reason, but He has made a fatal mistake. He placed an Archangel here. Now, He will learn to pay for that mistake, won't he?_  
  
A silence takes place before the voice speaks again, with increasing volume.  
  
_No Angels can come in here. Not with this seal. You have no bounds, no troubles. Use the powers I have given you to capture the souls God tried so hard to save. We **will** reign all the dimensions I chose to destroy in first place! **Make God pay!!!**_  
  
Loud rips of flesh and skin echo as blood splatters in dark streaks over the floor and the others. Crimson and black, leathery wings burst forth from every demonic creature. Screams of masochistic delight pierce the silence, and with maniacal screeches they tear through the gateway towards all the different dimensions created for them.  
  
Valandi Kriquelleif's eyes and teeth gleam, his demons now dispatched and his goals ready to be fulfilled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: ;; I know, stupid ending. Valkrief sounds like a kook. *shakes head* And I know... looong chapter... but I was requested to speed the plot up, so all I can do is put more into one chapter. :P Okay.... now I've got to enter hellish proportions of story-telling for the next chapter. Bleh. *dies*  
  
*resurrects* Thank you for your patience with me. ^_^; Thank you for reading. Thank you for bearing with my bleghy writing. (I didn't say crappy. It's now bleghy. XD) And thank you taking the time to leave me reviews. It'd be lying to say the reviews are the only reason I write, but I highly appreciate them all the same. *huggles all reviewers* Thank yew. *^^***  
  
  
Next update plan: Er...exams all week next week. I'll try to type a chapter up this weekend and upload it sometime during my revision...  
  
  



	45. A Disappearance and a Kidnap

  
  
_"Sanji-kun!!"  
  
He could hear her, but where on earth was she?  
  
"Sanji-kun!! Help!"  
  
He swam through the inky blackness, desperately trying to work his throat but failing to call out her name... Then, before him, amidst a large wave of darkness he saw a flash of tangerine and frightened hazel eyes before the darkness swallowed her up.  
  
Without thinking twice, Sanji dived; he tried to kick forwards, his arms swinging and hands grasping wildly, but he felt nothing..._  
  
"NO!!"  
  
The model shouted, bolting upright, and was temporarily blinded from the bright morning light spilling in through the blinds. It took him a few seconds to remember he was in the infirmary, and he looked down at the pillows.  
  
His eyes widened as he realised his fingers were fisted up with blanket, and that the bed was empty.  
  
_Empty._  
  
"Nami-san!!" Sanji cried, and he stood up so abruptly his chair fell back and clattered across the floor as he turned around. And stopped short.  
  
The nurse was sprawled out upon the ground, unconcious with a nasty looking cut swelling on her forehead. As Sanji propped her up, he saw ripped blankets on the floor, and the metal frame one of the other infirmary beds had deep dents hammered into it.  
  
His brows furrowed before he gasped.  
  
_Someone took Nami-san?!_  
  
"Miss Nurse, please, wake up! Nurse! Nurse?!"  
  
"What's going on?!" Kale exclaimed in alarm from the door to the infirmary, his eyes lingering on the bent metal of the bed frame before looking frantically at Sanji. The nurse groaned, her eyelids fluttering.  
  
"What happened?!" Sanji demanded, shaking the nurse's shoulders, and she looked unfocusedly at the model.  
  
"...Girl... hit me. Enormous strength... broke the bed..." She fainted again, and Sanji frowned. He tried shaking her awake again as Kale asked worriedly,  
  
"Where's Nami? Sanji, tell me what's going on!"  
  
"She disappeared. I don't know what happened - I woke up and she was gone! Someone might have taken her, but I don't know."  
  
Kale's brows knitted. "There's a chance a lost soul took over her own," he muttered, "and if that's the case, I'm afraid that's one of the worst-case scenarios possible."  
  
"What do you mean, a lost soul?!"  
  
"Lost souls roam over dimensions to find a body to host their spirits. They didn't get a chance to have their own bodies, so they try to steal other ones. And Nami... well, she _has_ been acting weak lately, and that would make her fairly susceptible to--"  
  
"YOU TELL ME THAT NOW?!!" Sanji shouted, and setting the nurse down he ran to the door, pushing past Kale abruptly.  
  
"Where are you going?!"  
  
"We have to find her!!" Sanji yelled over his shoulder, "Go up the back staircase, I'll go through the front!!"  
  
Kale opened his mouth to protest, but seeing that Sanji was already halfway to the front staircase, stopped trying and instead started to head up the opposite direction.  
  
  
  
  
  
Krow pulled on his black gloves and stretched his fingers into them, smiling. The feel of cloth tightly bound around his fingers was deliciously welcome, and he flexed his fingers with a perverse sigh of content as he settled into his chair.  
  
"Captain Krow?" A young newbie called nervously, "Are we ready to go, sir?"  
  
"Of course," Krow said, his smile stretching, and he envisioned the warm blood seeping through the black cloth, through to his skin... just like Augustus Flint's death... Hopefully, this time it wouldn't be as messy...  
  
Krow froze in the act of pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his palm. _Hopefully, this time it wouldn't be as messy..._ There had been blood. Lots of blood... Crimson smudges and rusty crusts of it...!  
  
The next moment, he was sifting through his envelopes desperately, cursing the clumsiness his bandaged fingers now gave him as he did so. He grabbed one particular brown envelope, his eyes darting over it desperately. _No blood. Not a drop._ Holding his breath, Krow loosened the string and tipped the contents out onto the table.  
  
Kaya's proof of witness papers fluttered out.  
  
Colour drained from his face as he searched through the papers and looked into the empty envelope. He riffled through all the envelopes and papers to no avail. Not a single smudge of blood, not a single page of Augustus Flint's will.  
  
_I've made a fatal mistake._  
  
Krow suddenly grabbed the duffel bag holding his Cat Claws and stormed past the new crew member.  
  
"Captain Krow, the crew is waiting that way..."  
  
"I'll join you as soon as possible," Krow growled through clenched teeth, "Leave first."  
  
"But, sir--"  
  
"DON'T TIRE ME!!!" He roared, and the newbie let out a small 'eep!' before disappearing from sight. Krow tightened his knuckles as he slammed the back garage door shut behind him.  
  
_I have to get to Kaya before she sees it. I have to. I can't ruin everything now from this mistake, not when the plan is so near perfectly complete. I can't. If she's seen it, I don't care about her anymore. No one is going to destroy this plan. If she's seen it..._  
  
Krow swallowed, and loosened his collar with an unbandaged hand. A small smile spread on his lips, however, despite his nervousness.  
  
_If she's seen it... **I'm just going to have to kill her.**_  
  
  
  
  
  
Kale ran up the steps, cursing himself for leisurely walking down it just moments before. He had been meaning to see Nami... it had been for an incredibly important matter, and now he wondered if the strange feeling he'd been having for quite a while had to do with Nami's disappearing act. He feared he didn't have enough time now.  
  
Especially because of the funnily simultaneously full and empty feeling he'd been having since two days ago, and the sensation that he was short of breath when he physically wasn't. It felt as though something was pressing against his brain; something invisible, and something that refused to go away...  
  
Kale had a very good idea what it was, because other angels had told him about it, too. He frowned. He didn't really mind death that much, but he still had a job to do. So why was this happening now?  
  
He turned a corner, still deeply caught up in his thoughts, when voices suddenly sounded in what Kale had thought was a deserted back staircase.  
  
"It's him, Tonto!"  
  
"_Now!!!_"  
  
Kale proceeded to catch something sharply moving towards him in his peripheral. He barely managed to jerk away from it in time, and heard it clang heavily onto the metal railing. He flicked his eyes up to face a man holding up a metal bar leeringly, and preparing to try and hit Kale once more.  
  
The young boy took a few steps back, but nearly toppled down the stairs; instead, he swerved to the left and rolled beneath the man's arm as the metal bar swung dangerously near his ear.  
  
"What the @#$%ing hell?!"  
  
The Messenger Angel swore, and the man laughed trollishly.  
  
"That's right. There's no fun if there's no _spirit_."  
  
"What do you want?!" Kale demanded, back-flipping out of the way of another large man trying to tackle him from the side. The landing connected to the second level carpark of GLU, and Kale moved there for more space as the men advanced.  
  
"We were told to get you, boy. You've been hanging with Zoro Roronoah and Sandy White, haven't you? We've blacklisted them, and we need you as bait."  
  
"BAIT?!!--" Kale started to yell, when a pair of hands grabbed him from behind; he caught a glimpse of a girl smiling before he felt his glasses tilt on his nose as a thick cloth was clamped tightly over his mouth. He sucked in his breath as he prepared to kick the girl holding onto his struggling form, but realised his mistake too late as a strong, sweet smell invaded his senses.  
  
Still, Kale managed to ram his elbow hard enough into the girl's abdomen so that she let go, but when he fell to his feet he felt like his brain was disconnected to his body.  
  
"_S-SANJI!_" He called out desperately, and sluggishly tried to move away from the metal bar swinging into him, but failed to do so quick enough; the bar hit his stomach square-on. His breath caught painfully in his throat before his small body hit the wall, his head sharply knocking against the concrete and cutting off his conciousness.  
  
The blonde model reacted to the cry of help far too late, his mind having been too wrapped up in thoughts of the missing navigator, that by the time he'd reached the second level of the carpark they were already loading Kale into the back of a black van.  
  
"KALE!! LUFFY!!" Sanji yelled, running, but the men had seen him. Knowing they were no match for him from experience, they floored it, leaving Sanji was in the wake of a thick cloud of dust and smoke and at complete loss of what to do.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tashigi sighed as she stretched out on her bed broodingly. Zoro hadn't come the previous day at all. He'd said he'd come to check out the weird black marble thing, but he hadn't, and now Tashigi felt bad.  
  
Was something wrong with him? Had something happened? Was it something serious? She hoped it wasn't. He didn't seem like the kind of guy who'd be able to take serious things very well. He was far too laid back, for that sort of thing. But then again, she supposed it would be that trait that would actually help him through a lot of tough situations.  
  
She rolled onto her stomach, muffling a groan into her pillow. Why she so worried about him she didn't exactly understand... he seemed to able to take care of himself... didn't he? _Maybe not_, she mused thoughtfully, when several knocks came on the door.  
  
"Yuina?" She called out, surprised at how quick her Media Studies class had been, when there was no reply. Tashigi frowned.  
  
"Who is it?" Her voice held an edge of warning to it, and she raised her eyebrows as a low, male voice rasped,  
  
"Open the door and you'll find out, won't you?"  
  
"Forget it." Tashigi snapped, looking around for a phone, when she heard Jenna's voice call out despairingly,  
  
"Raven, please open up! It's about Zoro!!"  
  
Eyes widening, Tashigi stared at the door.  
  
_Zoro?_  
  
  
  
  
  
Waking up with a sharp sneeze, the green-head sat up unsteadily from his bed.  
  
He groggily rubbed his eyes, looking confusedly about him.  
  
"Where's that stupid cook? And Luffy?" He mumbled, trying to kick his memory into starting up. He remembered Nami after freshening up (and vigorous tooth-brushing to get rid of all the marshmallow he hadn't been able to the previous night), and presumed Luffy had gone to see her.  
  
Just as he was tightening his bandanna he heard rapid knocking on the door. His eyebrows shot into his bandanna as he heard a small girl's voice call out urgently,  
  
"Kale! Kale, open it, it's Rendel!!"  
  
Zoro opened it to see a small, dark-haired girl looking up at him. Her mouth fell open.  
  
"Roronoa Zoro?!"  
  
"Er...yeah. So you know Kale, huh? Who are you?" Zoro prompted. The small girl craned her neck around Zoro's legs as she spoke.  
  
"Call me Rendel. I'm an angel, too. Where's Kale?"  
  
"I don't know... I think he went to see Nami," Zoro began, when Rendel grabbed her hair as she cried out,  
  
"Oh _no_! He went out alone?!"  
  
"Why? What's wrong with-- hey!!" Zoro exclaimed as the girl began to drag him out of his dorm with surprising strength, "Where're we going?"  
  
"We gotta find everyone," Rendel said worriedly, "I think this is very serious."  
  
Her words were confirmed as Sanji suddenly bounded up the stairs to huff heavily before Zoro and Rendel, and managed to breathe out,  
  
"Kale-- Luffy, he-- he just got kidnapped...!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Not one of Buggy's crew could fail to be shocked when she stepped in, fluffing her hair as she said loftily,  
  
"Where's Captain Buggy?"  
  
"Right here." He grumbled, pulling on his gloves, and when he swung his eyes to meet hers his jaw dropped open. The glove he'd been putting on fell out of his hand and onto the floor.  
  
"Y-you're-- the girl I-- at the dinner dance--"  
  
"Yes, I once was," She crooned, a strange smile curving her lips, "But now I'm not."  
  
She sat onto the table, stretching out luxuriously. "I used to be a lost, floating ghost... and I only just managed to find a host willing to support the beauty of my soul. Of course, the body of this girl is no where _near_ my old body's extreme beauty, but I suppose nothing can be done about that. After all, no one can surmount _my beauty_, isn't that right?"  
  
She flipped her hair back, and slipping off the table she turned and crashed it apart with a swing of what looked like part of a metal bed frame with alarming force. Looking satisfied, she looked upon the crew as she settled against the wall.  
  
"Who's the most beautiful woman in the world, men?" She asked, a dangerous sparkle in her eye.  
  
"You, of course!!" They exclaimed in unison. She smiled as she turned to an extremely surprised Buggy.  
  
"And so the great Alvida arises once more, in another world!! Although I'm no where near as luscious, this body is all right. It's simply amazing, isn't it?"  
  
"Er," Buggy said, looking flustered as startling memories started to register into his mind, "What are you doing here, my lady?"  
  
"I'd like to know what I can do for you," Alvida said, her lips spreading into a gracious smile as she ran a hand through her tangerine locks.  
  
"So you're... possessing that body? Er... is there a time limit?" He asked cautiously. Alvida's smile grew wider, her eyes narrowing as she said smoothly,  
  
"Not this one. It's not long before I manage to get rid of the original soul in here."  
  
"You mean... you're switching souls?" Buggy asked in surprise. Alvida rolled her eyes, giving Buggy a pitying look.  
  
"No, no, no, Buggy," She tutted, "I'm devouring hers."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**=_=;;; Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but that oughta give a good kick up the rear for the following events. Just... four more exams... left...! O__o;; I can't take it... and... as always... thank you for your incredible words... and your undeserving kindness in reviews... and for bearing with me uptil now. (And just for Elli-san... for bearing with my bleghy writing. XP)**  
  
  
h t t p : / / w w w . a n g e l f i r e . c o m / a n i m e 3 / r u f i a n g e l / f a q . h t m l   
  
_Don't tell me you updated that!_  
Er... well...  
  
  



	46. A Reckless Rescue Plan

  
  
Tashigi stared at her door intently as she spoke, suspicion lacing every word.  
  
"What about Zoro?"  
  
"I-I don't know," Came Jenna's scared voice desperately, "He said something-- about looking for _you_, and then these m-men came and-- Tashigi, open up, I can't tell this to a door!"  
  
Tashigi hesitated. This sounded awfully like something Jenna might do-- trick her into thinking that Zoro might be in danger, then do something to her to humiliate her the moment she opened the door.  
  
"Who's the man with you?" She called out cautiously. There was a muffled curse in a deep growl before Jenna said,  
  
"My brother, Kent."  
  
"What's _he_ doing with you?"  
  
"He's my brother! It's not illegal to be with him!"  
  
Tashigi frowned, and prepared to just sit and wait until Jenna gave up and left. However, she began to think. Because if she thought about it, Jenna _might_ be serious. It was only one chance in a million Jenna might actually come to find her of all people, but it might happen. She did say Zoro had been looking for _her_, and Zoro _did_ miss out on a meeting with her the previous evening. But she didn't know if she could trust Jenna.  
  
"Tashigi!!" Jenna's voice cried out.  
  
Biting her lip, Tashigi reached under her bed to pull out her bokken. Slipping the wooden sword out of its cloth covering, she held it in one hand, and walked right up to the door.  
  
"How am I supposed to trust you?" Tashigi asked quietly.  
  
"Oh, Tashigi, how am I supposed to know?" This time Jenna's voice was more impatient, more like herself. "All I know is that Zoro wanted to see you, these men came and took him away-- and I have no one else to turn to about it! He was closest to you, wasn't he?"  
  
"He has a room-mate," Tashigi countered.  
  
"Sandy White's not in his dorm. No one is. Tashigi, stop being such a petty brat and _open the door_! This isn't about me or you, it's about Zoro!!"  
  
Setting her hand on the door handle, Tashigi held her bokken tightly in her other fist before turning the knob. Then she jumped back as the door sprung open, a large man with chest-muscles on the verge of bursting his tight vest charging in - his arms outstretched towards her. Eyes widening, Tashigi managed to move around him and thwacked him from the side, over his beefy neck.  
  
He fell with a dull crash, books and empty card boxes falling astray as Tashigi turned her glare to Jenna at the doorway. The girl was smirking as she flipped her hair behind her shoulder.  
  
"You're not as stupid as I thought you were." Jenna mused. Tashigi's eyes narrowed as she turned her bokken to Jenna.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you? Embarrassing me isn't enough now, is it? Now you have to hire men to try and kill me or something?" Tashigi's breathing was ragged, torn from disbelief. Jenna's eyes narrowed too, but not from suspicion or confusion. She looked triumphant, a distinctively cat-like smile curling her lips.  
  
"No, Tashigi. I didn't lie. This isn't about me or you. This _is_ about Zoro."  
  
Tashigi's eyes clouded in further confusion. "What are you talking about?!" She demanded in a snarl, her grip on her bokken handle so tight now her knuckles were white.  
  
"Zoro will come where you are, right?" Jenna asked idly.  
  
"What are you talking about? Jenna, what the hell are you playing at--" Tashigi spun around, her eyes widening because she'd realised the movement behind her far too late. The man grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her in one swift, strong movement that had her bokken clattering onto the floor. Tashigi winced as a sharp pain shot through her shoulder blades, but swung her leg around to kick the man in the gut.  
  
She stumbled forwards as the man let go abruptly, coughing hazardly from the pain in his stomach, but his piggy eyes were now ablaze with anger.  
  
"Stupid bitch...!" He growled menacingly, and attempted to make a grab for her which missed as she dodged to the right. Before Tashigi could even make a grab for the fallen bokken, however, Jenna had her held from behind, twisting her arms back painfully.  
  
As Tashigi jerked her head back, trying but failing to twist out of Jenna's claw-like grip, the man grabbed her hair with one massive hand. Immediately, white-hot prickles and stings seared through her scalp and Tashigi let out a scream that was stifled as he banged her skull against the wall. He pulled her back, saw she was still concious, and then slammed her head against the corner of her desk. This time, as he pulled back, a trickle of blood ran down her temple, but she was apparently in a deep faint.  
  
"Good job, Luke. Now let's get back." Jenna said with a satisfied smile.  
  
As they exited the dorm, Tashigi was over Luke's shoulder and Jenna was rushing out with him, a sickeningly worried look smothered on her features. She was so occupied she ended up bumping shoulders against Yuina walking by.  
  
"Tashigi!" Yuina called out in surprise, spying her raven-black head over the man's shoulder. "Jenna, what's up with Tashigi?!"  
  
The man stopped walking as Jenna scowled. "She had a concussion. And don't talk to me as though you know me. You don't deserve to, remember?" Her eyes lingered on the bluish tint on Yuina's cheek, flickering down to the swollen lump at her shoulder. Yuina shrunk back involuntarily, her fingers lifting to tenderly press against her shoulder.  
  
"What were you doing in our dorm?" Yuina asked uneasily. Jenna responded by abruptly slapping her across the bruised cheek, sending Yuina reeling as Jenna snarled angrily,  
  
"_Our_ dorm? Have you gone mad, Yuina?"  
  
And with that, she turned to continue on with the man, her copper streaks bouncing at the base of her neck as she ran on. Yuina held her cheek as it smarted painfully, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to work her jaw as she called out after Jenna uselessly, "WAIT!!"  
  
Sighing, Yuina turned to the dorm and entered Tashigi's dorm door with the card key she had just acquired. She stopped short as she saw the boxes, papers and textbooks all over the floor. She walked towards her bed, confused, when something below caught her eye. Her eyes widened as she saw black strands of hair littering the part of the floor beneath her feet. Her eyes automatically flitted across the room, and immediately hooked onto the desk. On the desk was a glistening streak of blood.  
  
_Surely not even Jenna would go this far...?_ She thought, and hoping it was dried glossy paint or smudged nail polish, Yuina ran a finger across the streak, and felt the bottom of her stomach drop out as she felt a warmth in the liquid that shouldn't have been, and watched the streak wipe away with her finger.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you mean you're a natural lure?" Buggy asked with a frown, "For surely, you are beautiful, but..."  
  
Alvida smiled, combing her fingers through her orange tresses as she said softly,  
  
"Buggy, it's not just my natural, _inner_ beauty alone, although that would be enough to bring to me a few _thousand_, if I were so willing to. It's the body I'm using."  
  
Buggy raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You mean... they'll come finding us without us having to do anything?"  
  
"That's precisely what I mean." She purred. Her eyes and nails traced the round edge of the baseball bat she cradled in her hands, and Buggy's crew watched, licking their lips nervously.  
  
"So... what would we do?"  
  
"We wait." Alvida said simply as her eyes narrowed, her lips curling further. "You won't need to lift a finger when I look just like one of them."  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you mean, Kale and Nami are missing?!!" Zoro exclaimed in disbelief. Sanji shook his head in his hands.  
  
"I don't know. I woke up and Nami-san was missing, and then when I leave Kale alone he goes missing."  
  
"You're useless, you know that?" Zoro growled. Before the model could retort, however, the Silver Angel between them spoke.  
  
"How do you know Kale was kidnapped, and that he didn't go shopping or something?"  
  
"Some men were there... They put him in a van of some sort." Sanji said, glaring at Zoro, but refrained from responding to him. The green-head raised his brows in surprise, but Rendel let out a worried sound that attracted both students to look at her. She looked up at Sanji, looking on the verge of panic.  
  
"Who did?" Rendel asked urgently, "Who took Kale?"  
  
"I don't know!" Sanji said, his voice helpless, "How am I supposed to know?"  
  
"Whoever took Kale took Nami as well," Rendel muttered, her small hands pulling her hair back into a tight ponytail, "We'll just have to go searching in the direction the van went. Do you remember where they were headed?"  
  
The blonde nodded, still looking troubled. Zoro frowned.  
  
"Are you kidding me? That's way too vague. We'd get lost trying to find them."  
  
"You'd get lost no matter what." Sanji muttered, and Zoro shot him a death-glare. Rendel quickly cut in,  
  
"It's okay. Kale lets loose Angel Vibes. Just point me the right direction and I can sense him."  
  
"Angel Vibes?" Zoro repeated.  
  
"Yeah," Rendel said, nodding, "And it's very strong today. Lots of Angels are here, because Valandi Kriquelleif released a pack of demons just the last Earth evening."  
  
"Now who's Valandi--?"  
  
"Don't tell me," Rendel interrupted irritatedly, "that Kale told you that banished Angel's name is Valkrief."  
  
Zoro and Sanji blinked and nodded in unison, causing Rendel to sigh deeply.  
  
"Nevermind that. Look, demons can take possession of humans. They haven't reached this dimension yet, but when they do... the Angels here are going to try and fend them off, but if you encounter one... just-- just becareful. If you don't, they-- they could suck out your soul."  
  
Zoro and Sanji exchanged mildly surprised expressions as Rendel shook her head sharply, as though to clear it.  
  
"Right. What I think is that if we find Kale, I think we'd also find Nami." She looked at them pointedly, and Zoro glanced at the model.  
  
Sanji's jaw set as he remembered Nami's milky complexion and tired eyes. The sad smile that she had given him the last second he'd seen her awake flickered before his eyes as her voice echoed softly, _Thanks for the cookies and your time, Sanji-kun. You... you know I appreciate it._ He grit his teeth, starting towards the carpark saying determinedly,  
  
"Let's go."  
  
  
  
  
  
He opened his eyes groggily, finding his sight blurred heavily and strangely fractured. Kale felt... well, he couldn't put it better any other way. He felt crap.  
  
"Hey, I think he's awake," said a voice suddenly. _A man's voice? It's not the weirdo who hit me, though..._ He managed to sit up, his wrists tugging at the ropes binding it in a futile manner. The lenses of his glasses fell in many cracked shards to the floor, clearing the fractured sensation but now blurring the eyesight further.   
  
However, Kale could still make out a wooden floor and dark walls with many planks hammered into it. Thin beams of light shone through cracks in the planks, highlighting three tall figures before the Messenger Angel.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked, his speech slightly slurred as he squinted at the men.  
  
"Nothing, small boy," Said a man with blond hair, "We just need you to be still and quiet,_chuu_."  
  
"That's right," Another man said. For a split second, Kale thought he was ridiculously tall-- but then realised the man was on a unicycle. He could see the man brandishing a long sheath in his hands.  
  
"Now, go back to sleep, alright?" The third figure's face suddenly zoomed closer, and Kale got an eyeful of heart-shaped sunglasses and unruly blond hair. The boy quickly leaned away from the man, saying in disbelief,  
  
"_The hypnotist?_"  
  
"H-how'd you know?!" The man gasped in shock, then glared at him. He swung his arm up suddenly, and Kale winced, preparing himself for they hypnotist's strike. It didn't come, however, and instead his eyes were met with gloved fingers clutching a dangling pendant with a small disc on it. It began to swing side to side rhythmetically.  
  
"You will go to sleeeeeep," The man said slowly, dragging his voice out dramatically, "When I saaay Jaaaaaaaango. Ready? 1, 2, 3-- JAAAANGO!!"  
  
Kale blinked.  
  
Nothing was happening to him. _I guess it would only happen to Luffy, since angels are pretty much immune to this sort of human trick,_ Kale mused. However, something was happening to Jango. He seemed to be trying to keep his balance as he rested on his haunches, teetering dangerously backwards and forwards-- then fell with a dull crash to the floor.  
  
"Jango!!" The other two men exclaimed in shock. They face-faulted as Jango let out a sound snore. Kale smirked, and the blonde with his strangely puckered lips noticed.  
  
"Boy, I would not smile if I were you, _chuu_."  
  
"Yeah," The unicycle guy said, running a hand over his half-shaved head and raising an eyebrow, "you're our 'hostage'. Your friends are going to come find you, and we'll need to use you as a last resort if things don't work out. If you don't do anything rash, we won't hurt you."  
  
Kale chewed his lower lip in thought as Chuu tried to kick Jango awake.  
  
How was he supposed to get out of this one?  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wait!!"  
  
Zoro, Sanji and Rendel spun around in surprise to see Yuina clutching a stitch in her side, and holding onto Zoro's arm.  
  
"Yuina?" Zoro said in surprise. The girl nodded, breathing heavily.  
  
"They-- they took her," She gasped, her eyes desperately pleading with his, "W-weird people, Jenna-- took Tashigi."  
  
Zoro felt as though his insides had dropped out. The next second, they had popped back in again, only with a whole new sense of urgency.  
  
"You're not joking, are you? This isn't a hoax is it?" He quickly asked suspiciously. Yuina shook her head sharply, her eyes filling with tears.  
  
"I ran after them. They-- they--"  
  
"Who's 'they'?!"  
  
"J-Jenna. Some men," Yuina said, wincing as she spoke, and Zoro noticed a dark bruise on her left cheek starting to swell, a graze starting to bleed below her right knee, "Knocked her unconcious and took her someplace. Ran after I found out. Men there, though. Powerful men. Stopping-- me--"  
  
Yuina choked on her last word before breaking into a barrage of coughs.  
  
Without waiting for a reply, Zoro grit his teeth and bolted down the steps.  
  
"Wait, cabbage-head!!" Sanji yelled after him, but Zoro was long gone by then. The model shook his head, then let out a yelp as Rendel jerked his arm towards the back-staircase with sudden strength. Yuina clutched her side tightly, trying to catch her breath. _Hurry, Zoro,_ she thought, then blinked before looking after Sanji. _Was that Yuko...?_  
  
Meanwhile, Zoro was jumping down whole flights, trains of thought whizzing through his head.  
  
_Damn it. How does that girl get into such dumb scrapes? 'Oh, look at me, I'm so weak because I'm a woman, blah blah blah'. Geez, it's not her female side, it's just **her**. Nami doesn't get into such crappy situations herself, she usually tries to get out of them if Luffy gets her into one. But nooo, Tashigi's gotta be Miss Righteous and try to solve the situation herself. As though she really knows how to! How dumb can you get? I just hope she hasn't banged herself up too much..._  
  
The green-head managed to make it out to the grassy grounds without getting lost despite being lost in his thoughts, and ran as hard as he could towards the entrance. What he was holding kept banging into his side from his vigorous running, but he didn't care. He legged it to the gate, and his eyes flitted left to right. His eyes caught a flash of copper just disappear around the corner of the newspaper stand.  
  
_J-Jenna. Some men._  
  
"STOP!!" Zoro shouted, and ran as hard as he could towards the newspaper stand, people quickly jumping out of his course. As he hurtled round the corner, he saw Jenna crossing the street to meet up with several other men. And Zoro was able to recognise, like he'd been able to before amidst a throng of students, Tashigi's dark head and arms hanging limply over a boulder-resembling man's shoulders.  
  
Zoro ran across the street, ignoring the fact it was a red standing man glowing on the traffic light, and without thinking twice somersaulted over the roof of a skidding car and entered the park Jenna had run into.  
  
Then he realised he'd landed right into the middle of a circle of roaring motorcyles, and all the riders were sliding off and kicking stands out so the motorcycles wouldn't fall over.  
  
"Are you sure this is Zoro Roronoah?" Asked one of the male riders nervously, eyeing Zoro's rather slack posture. A girl rider next to him snorted, spitting her gum out onto the pavement before rolling her eyes.  
  
"Three silver rings in his ears. Blue bandanna. Green hair. It's him," Said the girl with a smile, a gold tooth shining from her set of gleaming teeth.  
  
"What do you want?" Zoro asked, his eyes narrowing. His hands tightened around the cloth in his hands.  
  
"You beat up our crew pretty badly before, you know," Another rider said behind him, and the rider's eyes narrowed to slits as he growled, "Joshan still can't even sit up."  
  
"You think you can just sort of screw around with our crew and get away with it?" Another girl sneered. Zoro's eyes were unreadable as he said,  
  
"So you think you can screw with me and get away with it?" The crew stared at him. What was it...? Somehting felt distinctly... odd about him now.  
  
"Wh-why not?" Said the girl from before, trying to hide the nervousness she felt. Zoro tugged sharply at the strings on the cloth.  
  
_Are you going to go without anything? Aren't you a swordsman?  
  
Yeah-- Rendel, is it?-- but I don't have anything but butter knives. I'm not **that** skilled with butter knives...  
  
Har har. Let's go to the Astroturf, we'll find something for you. There's a Kendo storage room there, you know...  
  
What?  
  
........  
  
There, here're two good ones. Take these with you.  
  
But they're not mine.  
  
I know, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind you borrowing it..._  
  
Zoro held out two of Tashigi's bokkens from her stash in the storage room, the grooves from her engraved name feeling strangely good beneath Zoro's skin. He could hear the rush of excited blood pound through his veins as he held the bokkens tightly, the cloth covers falling to the floor.  
  
"Get out of my way, or regret it." Zoro said lowly. The motorcyclers snorted before pulling out thick, steel pipes. They started to advance towards Zoro with wide grins smothered on their faces.  
  
"You're going to regret this," Zoro warned, but seeing they had no intention of complying to his very good advice, he drew his bokkens back.  
  
Three Tiger Huntings and four Demon Cuts later Zoro was running onwards through the park determinedly, leaving a group of groaning and broken bodies in his wake. Security officers ran after him, shouting, and several had rounded the motorcyclers, speaking to local police stations through walkie talkies as they eyed the pained group with raised eyebrows.  
  
The girl with the gleaming teeth, however, was behind a park-bench on the other side of the hedges lining the park, coughing out blood and a golden tooth onto the park ground. The man sitting on the bench ignored her. Feeling her jaw, she quickly snatched up the cell-phone attached around her waist. The screen was slightly cracked, but still seemed to be in working order as she dialed and waited.  
  
"Kent," She breathed, "this is one of the Black Cat gang. We failed to stop Zoro Roronoah. He's on his way."  
  
The man sitting on the bench whipped around to stare at the girl incredulously, and the girl dropped her cell-phone and tried to scramble away. However, he held a firm grip on the back of her leather jacket.  
  
"Wait! Zoro Roronoah, you say?"  
  
"Y-yes, he just beat the crap out of my crew, o-okay? You can take me to the station, p-please let go," She squeaked, his grip catching her jacket arms to painfully twist up her fractured wrists, and he let her go so she landed on all fours gratefully.  
  
He leapt over the hedges, and stared at the pile of broken bodies.  
  
_Zoro Roronoah?! That's one of the guys from my visions! Where--?!_  
  
"Where's the man who did this?!" He yelled, and the security officers immediately recognised the young police officer.  
  
"He went that way, Smoker!" One of them quickly informed him, and Smoker jerked his head towards the direction given. It was towards the park's third exit.  
  
"He's wearing a blue bandanna!!" The same security officer said helpfully, and Smoker strained his eyes to find a blue-bandanna clad head amongst the park visitors, weaving his way in and out towards the other end of the park.  
  
"Oh no you don't!!" Smoker growled, and took off at a run.  
  
  
  
  
  
He woke up, his eyes sleepy and dim, but something seemed a little different. He kicked up his skateboard an hour later, and this time definitely felt something strange.  
  
"Something's weird," He mumbled, his brows furrowing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: O.o; Gomen nasai for the delay. My exams... ARE FINALLY OVER!!! XDDD I can finally sing and rejoice! Whoopee! XD Thanks for wishing me luck, guys. It probably worked... er, although I might have screwed it up a bit, uhm... Oh well... now I can just pretend results don't happen until August...  
  
Er, enough about THAT. I've managed to churn out this chapter, but I had to edit it quite a bit. I am going to go absolutely nuts, though... writing this is a LOT harder then I'd anticipated. There's just so much to deal with, and I didn't realise that... T_T But what I've started, I must try my best to finish. Back to proper(?) updating schedule! Yes! XD  
  
  
**


	47. Locked Doors AKA Kaya's Vision

  
  
"Which way?"  
  
Sanji pointed at the road ahead the carpark, and the next second he and the small girl were sprinting across the pavement. The blonde was far too caught up with trying not to think of what they might have done to Nami, he didn't notice the extremely worried look on Rendel's face.  
  
She stopped sprinting abruptly at a three-pronged fork, and caught her breath as Sanji skid several feet ahead of her to a halt.  
  
"What is it?" He asked. He was hardly out of breath, whereas Rendel had to take a moment to speak. Between deep breaths she said,  
  
"We're out of the GLU vicinity... I'll try and locate Kale now... give me a second..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"There were too many Angels in GLU... couldn't separate all the Angel Vibes..." She said distractedly, then her eyes widened as they flashed a sudden silver before Sanji's eyes.  
  
"That way." She said, pointing resolutely, and was off at a run again. Sanji blinked, then started to follow. He was forced to stop when Rendel paused briefly before a traffic light; her eyes darted along the opposite pavement, zooming vehicles obscuring her vision of it. Then she suddenly vanished into thin air. Sanji's eyes widened, and he was about to call out her name when she appeared, quite unharmed, at the other side of the road.  
  
Without stopping to breathe, the Silver Angel continued to pelt herself along the pavement, and Sanji frustratedly shouted for her to wait. His voice was easily drowned out by the roaring engines and squealing tyres; obviously Rendel had quite forgotten Sanji was not blessed with the same holy powers as she. As he waited for the stupid green man to appear, his teeth gritted to a point it felt almost unbearable, a pair of hands suddenly grabbed his elbows.  
  
Sanji didn't stop to think twice. He abruptly threw his weight against the person, and heard the person grunt in surprise before yelping as he gave a sharp twist of his arms, freeing himself. Swinging his leg round, Sanji spun around and caught the hairy-looking baldie just above the hip before throwing him into the railings.  
  
He felt the presence of two men behind him before he saw them, and flipped himself onto his hands to pull himself out of grabbing range. Before they could react to swiping at nothing, he spun his legs around like a windmill and violently crushed their jaws to the ground.  
  
The model was caught off-guard as he pulled himself back to his feet again. A mis-aimed kick hit Sanji somewhere near his knee-cap; the kicker looked somewhat frightened as she cowered away from his horribly angered eyes, the kick apparently having made no effect at all.  
  
"Who are you?" He demanded, his eyes narrowed as they scanned the four whimpering and groaning people, "What do you want from me?"  
  
"Aiie." Managed the bald guy, his nose bleeding profusely as he winced, "Ngee game doo bringyu doo Aiiee."  
  
"I don't understand what the heck you're saying." Sanji snapped, bending down and dragging up the man by his collar quite forcefully to his feet, to reach his eye-level. The bald man scowled, but tried again.  
  
"Aa-ngii. Aa-ngii--"  
  
The girl interrupted reproachfully: "Troll is saying we came to bring you to a girl named Nami."  
  
"_You're the ones that took her??_" Sanji snarled, his eyes bright and ablaze with anger as he grabbed the baldie and rammed him against the railings so hard the metal frame rattled; Sanji seemed quite prepared to beat the sense out of the man when the girl cried out,  
  
"No, no! She came at her own will, she did-- honest!!"  
  
Sanji's eyes came to land suspiciously on the girl. _What? She went there herself?_ Swallowing, she stood up shakily and said in her best warning voice,  
  
"If you don't stop being so violent, we won't take you to her..."  
  
"What do you want?" Sanji growled.  
  
"We don't want anything to do with you," The girl replied, "we just follow Buggy's and Krieg's orders. And they clearly stated to 'bring the model back to see the girl'..."  
  
The blonde did not respond for a few seconds, obviously torn between kicking the man senseless and going to see Nami. Suddenly, he dropped the man and let him fall with a heavy thud to the concrete.  
  
"Lead the way," Sanji said stiffly. The girl, looking relieved, started to move when he snapped, "and if you've touched a _single hair_ on her head, I _swear to God I will pulverise the lot of you._"  
  
Casting him a frightened look, the girl continued to weave her way through the crowd. The three men got up slowly, clearly rattled and hurting, but followed the blonde's course swiftly. Someone stopped dialing for the police; chatter that had died down rose once more. Finally, as the crowd dispersed, they found themselves still shuddering at the look Sanji had given the girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
Although she didn't feel like doing anything, Kaya knew she had better get it done and over with. Heaving a sigh, she put away the depressing newspaper headline concerning the dead body of Augustus Flint found in a motel and drifted to her desk, towards the large brown envelope.  
  
She warily lifted the envelope from the desk and slit it open, knowing Krow wanted her to see if there were any problems. However, the papers that slid into her hands were not witness papers.  
  
Frowning slightly, Kaya shuffled through the papers. There were sinister rust-coloured smudges and blots all over the pages, and if her eyes weren't decieving her, the papers were some sort of will.  
  
Her eyes settled on one of the papers that held signatures, and her heart seemed to drop to the pit of her stomach.  
  
_ ...hereby states that all 10, 523 acres of the Stormland in possession of Theodore Adam Flint should belong to Augustus Samuel Flint as from... _  
  
Kaya's eyes flitted across the pages, her eyes widening as they set on the date. _This looks like the rumoured will between Theodore Flint and his son,_ She realised, staring at the date, _And it was made a lot later than the will that stated the Stormland belongs to Klahadol...! Oh... no...!_ Her eyes set on the rusty blotches, and her hands trembled violently as she forced her frozen fingers to loosen and drop the sheets. The newpaper frontpage flashed in her mind, and she audibly gasped.  
  
_Klahadol-- he-- couldn't have-- murdered Augustus Flint--?! For money?! No-- this is a joke, he just--_ But Kaya suddenly jolted, crying out as though a hand had plunged into her mind as the memories came unbidden.  
  
There was no white bedspread, no fluffed pillows or thick carpet or her usual mahagony desk. She saw hundreds of people below, colourful blots on the horizon of early morning on a sparkling ocean. The waves sloshed on land that sloped up to where she stood, and before her she saw Klahadol looking slightly flustered. His habit of pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his palm occurred, only Kaya could see why now; he had long blood-covered blades sprouting out from each fingetip.  
  
There was an eerie silence pounding into Kaya's ears, but as Kaya forced her mouth open she heard a strong whoosh of volume -- and she could hear wind rustling trees behind her, strong hisses and murmurs in the people below and the soft sound of waves breaking in the distance. And she heard Klahadol speak as though from a distance.  
  
_ "How... surprising... miss. How did you get here..."_  
  
Kaya could feel herself sweating and trembling, but her voice came out strong and still.  
  
_ "I heard everything from Merii."  
  
"Oh-- he's alive, is he? ..I thought I had definitely killed him..."_  
  
Kaya was frozen to the spot as she heard these words, his eyes dropping to a subzero frostiness she could not recognise. _No! This... really isn't Klahadol..._ She found herself feeling a seeping guilt as she realised this was who he was; a cold, calculating man who had decieved everyone... and the only person who had known that was--  
  
_"...I'm sorry. Usopp-san..."_ Her eyes flickered to his bloodied face, _"I know you won't forgive me even if I apologise... I... just couldn't believe that... Klahadol could be a pirate..."_  
  
_"I don't give a damn about that!"_ Kaya's eyes widened as she heard this. How could he not care? The villagers had prided the opinion of Klahadol over him, Merii had shot him, she had _slapped_ him...! Her eyes filled with tears as she saw the blood trickling down his bruised and battered body and face. He continued yelling,  
  
_"Why did you come?! Didn't I tell you run away?! They're after your life!"_  
  
_"But Usopp-san is fighting..."_ Kaya cried, unable to believe he could still care about her like this when he was in dire need of medical help, _"We did all those horrible things to you... but you're still fighting to a point you can't even stand...!"_  
  
He looked shocked, and tried to say, _"That's... because I'm a brave sea...!"_ But Kaya didn't need to hear his excuses to cover up his true bravery. She turned her eyes to Klahadol, ignoring the pain swelling through her body as she shouted,  
  
_"Klahadol! If you want my money you can have it all! So get out of this village!!"_  
  
A protuding vein pulsed above his left eye, his dark eyes never left her limp and tired frame as he said softly, _"No, although I do want the money... I... mostly want 'peace'."_ A twisted a strange smirk seemed to hitch the edge of his lips as he continued, _"The trust I've built up for these past three years... give me an indescribable peace that I desire. So it is only when I get that peace and your money my plan is truly complete."_  
  
Kaya could not bring herself to connect what this man was saying with Klahadol, and was horrified to hear him continue,  
  
_"So in other words, the pillaging of these pirates and your will with your death... those two things... **are necessary.**"_  
  
_"Run away, Kaya! Nothing will get through that bastard! He's not the man you used to know!!"_ I know that, Kaya thought, and steeling herself she brought out the gun from her pocket. She hadn't wanted to resort to this, and she could sense the shock spilling in from all sides at the action. But she wasn't going to let this unrecognisable man before her hurt anyone. Resolute in this fact, Kaya shouted,  
  
_"GET OUT OF THE VILLAGE!!"_  
  
Klahadol suddenly gave a chuckle that sounded like his old self as he mentioned, "Miss, you have changed quite a lot the past three years... Do you remember? We did quite a few things those three years." Kaya didn't know where he was going, but she kept the gun trained on him the best she could. His voice penetrated through her detemination, however.  
  
_ "We'd ride ships together... go out the village together... if you were sick I'd stay by your side... we went through the hard times and the good times together... I devoted myself to you."_ She heard a change of tone in his voice as he continued, _"And devoting myself to the young lady who was only sick and weak... forcing myself to go through all that..."_  
  
He looked at her straight in the eye, all warmth dissapating from his presence as he said coldly, _"Everything was a preparation for **your death**!!"_  
  
Kaya had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying out in pain and shock, but she could not stop the hot tears that spilled down her cheeks. His lips curled into a grin as he continued triumphantly, _"I, 'captain Krow', had no reason to make myself act sweetly to a young bitch like you, other than to decieve and lead you to your death... do you understand, now? What those days of insult are to me..."_  
  
The gun was on the ground, her hands clutching at her wet cheeks. A sudden war-cry cracked the air as Usopp ran, his arm held back with a tight fist, and Kaya saw the angered tears in Usopp's eyes-- she wanted to say something, anything, but her throat was too constricted--  
  
The images spun violently, swirling in disturbing twirls of colour, and she fell with a harsh thud to her knees on her plush white carpet. Her breathing was laboured and harsh, and she took deep gulps of air as she struggled to control herself.  
  
_This is what Usopp-san was talking about-- Klahadol is part of that-- we're all--!!_  
  
Her eyes returned to the brown envelope in horror, and Kaya knew that Krow was exactly what he was from that world and this one... a psycho.  
  
"Merii!!" Kaya screamed, throwing the door open, "MERII!! Call the police-- CALL THEM!!" She ran to her room phone and picked it up with shaking hands, and dialed Usopp's cell-phone number with great difficulty.  
  
"Please pick up, please pick up, oh please..." Kaya begged out loud in pleading whispers, and strong relief swept over her as his cheerful voice answered,  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Usopp-san!!" Kaya cried out, her voice cracking as tears trickled down her skin.  
  
Usopp, on the other end, stopped walking towards the Melinda Charity House, frowning. "Kaya? Are you okay? You sound like you've been crying." He heard her give a shuddering breath before she managed,  
  
"I-I just realised, Klahadol, Krow, he k-killed someone, he--"  
  
"What are you talking about? Kaya?!" Usopp exclaimed, his brows knitting, and Kaya let out a sob.  
  
"Usopp-san, it takes too long to explain-- but Krow, do you remember, back in our village? Klahadol--"  
  
Usopp's jaw dropped open, a flurry of images sifting through his head from his dreams. "Krow? Feline Incorporates manager? _Captain Krow_?"  
  
"Yes," Kaya said desperately, trying to control her breath. She was so caught up in the phone-call she didn't think of why Merii had not replied, nor did she notice the door opening and shutting. But she did hear Merii's scream that was abruptly cut off. Eyes widening in shock, Kaya bolted to the landing of the second floor, crying out, "MERII?!!"  
  
Then she felt the bottom of her stomach give way as Klahadol looked up at her from the bloodily slashed Merii on the ground. Blood stained the pine-wood, and Klahadol smiled in what looked like vindinctive pleasure as he lifted a handful of blades.  
  
"Miss Kaya," He said pleasantly, and Kaya's blood ran cold. She stumbled back into her room and slammed the door shut, locking it, before grabbing hold of the phone again.  
  
"Kaya?!!" Usopp called, panicking as he tried to figure out why Kaya had screamed, when she cried out hysterically to the phone, "USOPP-SAN!! He's here!! KROW IS HERE!! He knows-- he-- he knows and-- oh, God, Usopp-san, he KILLED MERII--" She felt her weak heart nearly stop when the door was banged against, Krow's voice shouting,  
  
"You don't seriously think this will stop me?! Miss Kaya?!"  
  
Throwing her small weight against the door in a futile attempt to stop Krow from entering, Kaya sobbed into the phone, "Usopp-san, please--"  
  
She let out a sharp gasp as a single blade thrust through the door and through the phone pressed against her ear, effectively shattering it to bits.  
  
"Kaya?! KAYA!!" Usopp yelled, but the line had been cut off.  
  
"I thought he looked familiar," Usopp muttered, and knowing Kaya had to be in danger, he stuffed the phone into his pocket. Then he turned the opposite direction to run as hard as he could towards Kaya's mansion, glad that if he wasn't good at anything much, at least he was confident in running.  
  
  
  
  
  
Zoro didn't know whether to be surprised or not at the fact there were people waiting for him at the other end of the park.  
  
"Zoro Roronoah?"  
  
"Where's Tashigi?" The green-head asked impatiently, brandishing the bokkens with a raised eyebrow. The motorcycler faltered for a moment before saying,  
  
"Sh-she's with Miss Jenna. If you-- if you come with us quietly... we promise to-- to take you there." He glanced nervously at Zoro's bokkens before looking up at Zoro himself.  
  
Still holding up the bokkens, Zoro's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Okay, fine. But do anything funny and I'll beat the crap out of you."  
  
Nodding fervently, the motorcycler gestured to his pals, and Zoro followed the guy who had talked to him. The rest had gone off on their motorcycles, presumably to alert some higher figures, but Zoro didn't think it mattered. He could probably beat the crap out of them just as easily, anyway. He had to get this done quick; Sanji had said that Kale had been kidnapped, and Zoro would have bet his Wadou (if he had had it with him, that is) that the kidnappers were the same group as these buffoons...  
  
Following the motorcycler with his mind wrapped in thoughts of Kale, he failed to notice the police officer with his eyes wide open from the mention of Tashigi. Then, silently, Smoker followed.  
  
  
  
  
  
_Just a little more..._  
  
Kale rubbed the rope fervently against the sharp shard of glass behind him from a broken window frame that had been discarded on the floor, his teeth grit in concentration.  
  
_Just a bit more... I knows there's just a few more threads..._  
  
His eyes brightened in triumph as he felt the final thread break, the ropes binding his wrists immediately loosening. He tried to look indifferent to his watchers, although it didn't make that much of a difference considering they were all bored and gazing at something, spaced-out.  
  
Kale slowly slid his hands to his ankles, trying to look unsuspicious, and gently plucked at the knot. After a minute or so of a lot of silent effort, the ropes came loose. The Messenger Angel would have liked a few more minutes of deciding when to run and where to turn, but unfortunately the shaved-head guy had chosen that moment to glance at him. He nearly fell off his unicycle as he yelled,  
  
"Chuu!! Jango!! The boy is loose!!"  
  
The blonde and the hypnotist looked up alarmedly to see Kale running to one side, the ropes lying uselessly behind him.  
  
"Oh no you don't _chuu_!!" The blonde shouted, and Kale cursed the small body he was in, knowing the three full-grown adults would have far faster and longer strides than he. Instead, Kale began to zig-zag through the wooden frames of the warehouse, leaping over broken glass and piles of sawdust.  
  
"Argh!!"  
  
"Cabodi!!" Chuu shouted as Cabodi fell off his punctured unicycle because of the broken glass. Kale thought in relief, _one down, two to go._ He grabbed a broken spade handle off the ground and threw it backwards, managing to hit the shins of the hypnotist and forcing him down. Kale leapt over a large fallen table, and reaching its shadows ducked behind the huge, circular face of the table's surface.  
  
Chuu gave a daring leap over its circular edge, thinking Kale was running ahead, and the Messenger Angel forced his fingers beneath the bottom of the table edge and pushed the other side up to meet Chuu's startled form. Kale managed to duck out of the way as the blonde howled in pain, tumbling over the table to hit the ground.  
  
Relieved to see a large, dusty door, Kale slid his hands beneath the wooden bolt. It wouldn't budge. Desperate to get away from the sounds of the three men now rising up and running towards him, he forced the wood up at the expense of his muscles screaming in pain. But when Kale tried to push the door open, there was a loud clang of rusty chains, and Kale was met with the sight of thick steel chains that had a huge padlock at the centre.  
  
"God, why?!" Kale asked, exasperated, and was grabbed from behind.  
  
"You little piece of--" Cabodi began, but was thrown back as Kale jabbed his elbow into his stomach. Ducking down and round-housing Chuu to send him sprawling, Kale tried to push himself between them but was grabbed by Jango from behind. Before he could do anything about that, Chuu stood up and grabbed Kale's other arm, and they thrust the air out of his lungs by shoving him agains the wooden doors.  
  
Trying to blink the stars out of his eyes, Kale felt a prickle of fear run down his spine as a large blade pressed against his throat. His eyes met the angry eyes of Cabodi, who had recovered from the elbow jab and was now breathing unevenly.  
  
"You asked for it," Cabodi growled, apparently ready to slit Kale's throat, and the Messenger Angel thought desperately, _is this how I'm supposed to die?_ However, Chuu said sharply,  
  
"No! Arlong said we're not supposed to kill him _chuu_!!"  
  
"Why not?!!" Cabodi yelled, his eyes bulging, and Jango said hurriedly,  
  
"Now, now, Krow and Buggy agreed too, remember? He's supposed to be invaluable bait-- Krieg said that, remember?"  
  
"Grrrr..."  
  
"Don't lose your head, _chuu_, he's just a little snotty kid," Chuu snapped, and Cabodi's eyes narrowed, moving the blade to face Chuu's puckered lips as he growled,  
  
"I'm not losing my head. I don't see why he's invaluable bait!!"  
  
"If things go wrong and that green-head and blonde turn out to be undefeatable, then we'll have to resort to using this boy, understand?!!"  
  
"How could they be undefeatable by the standards of our _leaders_?!!"  
  
"Your clown of a leader got beaten up quite easily, _chuu_," Chuu said coldly, and Cabodi's face went red as he shouted,  
  
"Are you insulting Captain Buggy?!!"  
  
Seeing this as his chance to escape, Kale quickly pulled himself out of the loosened grips of Jango and Chuu, slipped between Cabodi's legs-- but was immediately kicked across the jaw.  
  
"See? This is what I mean!!" Cabodi said angrily, and Chuu snorted.  
  
"All we have to do is beat him up still he can't move, right, _chuu_?"  
  
Kale's eyes widened as he tried to scramble away, but he still had to dodge Chuu's swing of an abandoned shovel. However, Kale failed to see Jango move in. The hypnotist jammed his heel so hard into Kale's shin the bones broke as though they were made out of china. Letting out a cry of pain, Kale tried to roll away, but was soon caught in a flurry of stepping and kicking, his face slapped violently when he tried to bite one of their legs.  
  
Kale thrust his one good arm that wasn't broken to punch Cabodi blindly across the face. The unicycler looked severely pissed off and he brandished the knife again.  
  
"Do that again, why don't you?!!" He screeched, and Kale let out a sharp scream as Cabodi stepped on his hand, Jango and Chuu holding Kale's chest down. The heel crushed his fingers, and Kale bit his lip as he realised-- he couldn't move. Even his ribs felt cracked. However, Cabodi was leering with the blade and snarling,  
  
"Wanna try and punch me now? Eh? With those broken fingers of yours?"  
  
"Stop that, _chuu_!!" Chuu yelled, and he and Jango pulled Kale's limp form up. The Messenger Angel winced, his breathing haggard as he faced Cabodi.  
  
"See? He can't even move!" Jango said, sounding nervous and obviously not wanting the knife to be turned to him. Finally, Cabodi started to move the blade away. Kale realised with a start that everyone seemed quite diverted, so Kale forced his broken body to move a bit, to try and run. But Cabodi caught sight of this immediately.  
  
"OH NO YOU DON'T!!" He roared, and without warning, without thinking, Cabodi thrust the knife's shining blade deep and straight through Kale's gut.  
  
  
  
  
  
Tashigi opened her eyes groggily. There was an indescribable pain pulsating in her skull, and she wasn't entirely sure where she was for a moment. Finally remembering previous events and forcing herself to stand up, she realised she was in some sort of dojo. There were people surrounding her, obviously gangsters, and there in the centre she recognised the meaty guy who had beat her up.  
  
"Wh-what...?"  
  
She tried to move, and immediately had bokkens facing her from all sides.  
  
"Kendo specialists," She heard a voice say, and looking between two of the offenders saw Jenna, a smirk curling her lips as she sauntered towards Tashigi with a bokken of her own.  
  
"Is that so," Tashigi muttered, and her head hung in defeat.  
  
She'd fallen for a stupid trick, and her skills had failed to protect herself. Why did this have to happen all the time?  
  
_Maybe I am weak,_ Tashigi thought miserably. Then, with a start, she heard Zoro's voice in her head.  
  
_"There's something empty in us, and that emptiness causes deep flaws. And things are missing here. I have no Wadou. You have no confidence."_  
  
No confidence? Tashigi bit her lip to stop her trembling. But what could she have confidence in? She had no weapon with her. She was nothing without it, wasn't she?  
  
_"...I guess we have a different goal here."_ She heard Zoro's voice once more, and her own confused voice question,  
  
_"But what goal could we possibly have in this world?"  
  
"How about to restore your faith in yourself?"_  
  
_Myself._ Tashigi's eyes widened as she realised, _I have myself._  
  
Jenna was smirking at her, and Tashigi suddenly felt, not shame, but a deep and dark anger bubbling from deep inside of her. Not at Jenna... at herself.  
  
_I can't believe myself. Of course Jenna pushes me around like a ragdoll. So what if I have no freaking bokken? I'm not supposed to give a damn. If I want to show what my worth is... especially to Roronoa Zoro for the day he ever decides to fight me... if I don't have anything with me to have confidence in... **I need to at least have confidence in myself.**_  
  
And with this revelation, Tashigi looked up defiantly into Jenna's eyes. Jenna looked startled, and even more so when Tashigi demanded,  
  
"What do you want from me, Jenna?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Ahck... O_O;; Sorry it took a while... I just didn't feel like writing, but today I got off my lazy bum and got to work. Well, at least I got a bit of it done now... *shakes head* This is taking longer than I'd planned, but that's good. I was worried it'd be all... compacted... so you'd get like too much at once. But somehow it didn't turn out that way... Well anyways. ^^;; If you're reading this now, thankyew very much for reading uptil now. :D I'm so happy! XDDD And if you are a reviewer, you KNOW I love you. *huggles* So... I'll have a surprise for you guys soon. Yeah. ^_^ My sister is coming this weekend so I can make her help me with it. XD  
  
About the translations... I did that with the Korean version, but my Korean is not perfect-- at ALL. I also tried my best to make it sound like natural English, so I twiddled a little with some of the really Japanese/Korean expressions to something else more English. Er, so don't hate me. *whimpers* (Note: I edited this chapter because I am appalled I gave it in unedited. The number of mistakes hit me harder than Luffy ever could. ;_;)**   
  



	48. Steer Clear From Hysteria

  
  
Kaya lunged away from the door, shattered remains of plastic and metal hitting her feet as the door splintered and crashed open. Krow stepped in, his eyes alight with some strange glow as he watched his cornered prey back away from him. Fear was written on every feature on her face, and she stumbled backwards as he stepped forwards.  
  
"Miss Kaya, what's wrong?" He asked pleasantly, and she blanched, her eyes sliding down the beads of blood dotting the white carpet. She swallowed.  
  
"You killed him." Her voice was shaky, but firm. Krow smirked.  
  
"No, I actually didn't manage to kill that manager of yours. I'll have to slit his throat later. You... distracted me."  
  
Kaya bit her lip, obviously trying to stop herself from trembling, and she rolled her fingers into fists as she said more boldly, "No, I didn't mean Merii. I meant Augustus Flint."  
  
Krow's eyes narrowed. "So you did read the papers in that, did you? I suppose it's my fault to begin with, but you know... some do hope that things don't get that complicated." He raised a hand of blades and pointed all five sharp tips at Kaya, hissing, "Then I only have one choice, don't I?"  
  
There was a suffocating silence. Then, without warning, Kaya spun around and made a wild dash for the window. Knowing there was a landing outside it that connected to the landing below, Krow ran forward and slashed at her general direction. There was a sound of ripping cloth and breaking glass; Kaya let out a small cry as a shard of glass tore into the skin at her collar-bone.  
  
However, the violet eyes that turned to Krow were not of fear now, but of determination. Krow thrust his blades forwards once more, ready to rip out her throat. Grabbing the ripped curtains, Kaya swerved her arms up to meet the Cat Claws with the fabric. The blades entangled; Kaya threw her weight with the curtains towards the window, and Krow's body hit the sill with enough force to stun him for a moment.  
  
Rolling herself out of range, Kaya got to her feet and ran out of the room. Krow let out a nasty laugh as he tore away the curtains from his Cat Claws and ran after her, only to see the corridor empty. But if Kaya had disappeared this quickly, he knew there was no way that the weak-hearted actress could have exited the house. She was still on this floor. There were only three rooms on the second floor excluding the bedroom, and Krow laughed silently to himself. How foolish could she get?  
  
"Why do you try?" He asked out loud, kicking open the door to the bathroom next to Kaya's bedroom. He slashed at the curtains shrouding the bathtub, sliced the sink away from the wall and cut deep tracks that ran all the way around the walls, but the bathroom proved empty. He stepped out, and deliberately walked slowly to the next room, feeling a perverse joy swell in him as he felt the tension and fear swell in the air too.  
  
As he tore at Merii's office next to the bathroom, he stopped swiping at the book-case to hear breathing. His eyes widened, his lips curling into a smile as he realised it was Kaya's breathing, loud and short of breath from shock, and still smiling Krow followed the noise to the guest room two doors away from Kaya's own bedroom.  
  
The door creaked open ominously, and Krow switched on the light with his wrist. The room immediately flooded with light, and there was a sharp gasp that came from the direction of the closet. Krow found himself grinning. He could almost hear her heartbeat beating faster from fear. Clearing his throat, Krow examined his gloved hands lightly as he started to speak in light, idle tones.  
  
"Miss Kaya, I came up with a theory." He heard the breathing pick up again, and smiling he continued. "I always wondered what it was about you that made me want to take care of you. For you see, I had no ultimate goal with you. For sure I did use you to become acquainted with certain sponsors and I did manage your bank account using your ill-placed trust, but you see, what I truly wanted was something I couldn't describe... because we failed before, remember? In our past life?"  
  
Krow's eyes narrowed involuntarily as his jaw tightened. "I took so much care of you before. I tended to all your petty needs and concerns, I treated you as though you were some sort of wilting, weak but precious little flower. But no, that just wasn't enough for you, was it? You didn't want any of that in the end, did you? You wanted _him_."  
  
Letting out a bitter laugh, Krow glared at the closet. He could sense her trembling, and he allowed himself a little smirk. "However, you bought my trust over his, and I suppose all those little things I cared to do for you wasn't all for nothing... I cared enough for you, Kaya, to not force you to write the will and kill you on the spot when we were alone...  
  
"No, it had to be perfect. You weren't supposed to know... but that stupid boy and that stupid lamb just had to get in the way, and you ended up making me spit on your fragile trust in me. But you never mattered enough to me, so your broken trust meant nothing to me. All I ever hated you for was for ruining the perfection I had taken years to plan out..."  
  
It sounded as though Kaya was trying to keep in tears. Krow smiled painedly as he whispered, "You failed, Kaya. We were supposed to follow the plan, but you backed out on me... So you see, I bought your trust in this life because this time, I didn't want to fail. I was ensured that this plan wouldn't fail because there would be no hitches... but there was a hitch. Because that long-nosed boy is here again, too."  
  
Walking swiftly to the closet, Krow heard the actress still her breath at the sound of his shoes against the carpeted floor. He rested his forehead against the walnut wood, feeling a chill down his spine as he heard her stifle a gasp of surprise to hear sounds against the closet.  
  
"No one is here to save you this time," Krow rasped, raising his Cat Claws, "So my plan will be perfect again, after all. No straw-hat idiot or swordsman is here to come to the rescue. That little liar couldn't do a thing against me in the previous world, and the same fact prevails in this world. And sadly Kaya, you can't do anything yourself. So I won't stretch your death out any longer. You see, Kaya..." He stepped back from the closet, smiling in satisfaction as he positioned the blades,  
  
"My plan is _perfect this time_." And without another word, Krow slashed over the closet doors, hearing Kaya gasp loudly at the sudden sound of wood splitting and hitting the carpet. Triumphantly, Krow turned his eyes to meet Kaya's frightened and pathetic eyes, perhaps see her body curled in a scared, fetal position tucked into the corner of the closet. Krow's eyes widened, his jaw dropping because he could still hear Kaya breathing fast and unevenly somewhere _right in front of him_... but the closet right in front of him was completely empty.  
  
Before Krow could realise what was happening, however, Kaya gave a sharp inhalement of breath before a loud sound of body hitting wood sounded-- Krow's eyes widened as the closet suddenly fell forwards towards him, the walnut wood slamming into him and shattering his glasses-- Kaya hadn't been _in_ the closet, she had been _behind_ it--  
  
"STOP!!" Krow tried to shout as he tried to move, but failed to bring his body out from its trapped position beneath the weight of the closet. All he saw were the blurred outlines of Kaya's small feet pattering madly across the carpet and out of the guest room. Letting out a frightening growl, Krow wrenched his arm from the wood and within seconds had the closet in pieces behind him; he tore after her small form stumbling down the stairs shouting without thinking, "NO!! _I WON'T LET YOU!!_"  
  
Kaya let out a small scream as he ripped the banister apart, and hurling herself down the last few steps she ran towards the door, but as she pressed her hands against the handle she realised before she even tried -- the doors were locked. Starting to sob from desperation, Kaya swerved away from the door to miss a swipe that caused the floor to erupt in an explosion of pine-wood. She started to run towards the kitchen for the back-door, but Krow skid to a stop before her.  
  
"This," He said angrily, his breathing ragged as he watched her pupils contract from fear, "ends here. _Now._"  
  
Suddenly, something hit the back of his skull with enough force to cause his vision to black out momentarily, and blinking stars out of his eyes Krow felt a sharp pain explode from a small point at the back of his scalp.  
  
"Usopp-san!!" Kaya cried out, and Krow forced himself to spin around and look. Usopp, breathing heavily, was standing before the entrance of the dining room, obviously having kicked down the back door. In his left hand he cradled a handful of colourful marbles. _Marbles!_ Insulted, Krow lifted the partially empty frames of his glasses higher up his nose using the end of his palm, his eyes narrowing as he realised Kaya had moved out of his range and closer to Usopp while he had been in pain.  
  
Krow slashed at the coffee table violently, forcing Kaya to stop and fling her arms to shield her face from the explosion of mahagony chunks. Usopp exclaimed her name in shock, but he stopped short when Krow pointed his blades at him.  
  
"Want to be the hero now, don't you?" Krow seethed through his teeth, a cruel smile starting to curl his lips as he realised, _this man is nothing. I can kill him easily._  
  
Usopp's eyes weren't on Krow, however; they were on Kaya's shaking form.  
  
"What's she ever done to you?" The engineer asked in a low voice, eyes narrowing behind his glasses, "Wasn't last time enough?"  
  
"No," Krow snapped, "That's precisely the point; it _wasn't_ enough. And now, you'll learn to regret sticking that long nose everywhere _Miss_ Kaya goes."  
  
Usopp's eyes flashed angrily at the mockery in Krow's tone of voice, but before he could act, Krow had disappeared.  
  
"Wh-where--?!" Usopp gasped, looking around wildly, and Kaya cried,  
  
"Look out!"  
  
But the blades had already torn their way through Usopp's flesh; the carpet soaked up the fresh crimson as his body limply hit the plush carpet silently. Krow kicked the fallen form with the toe of this polished leather shoes, and his smile widened to see that Usopp did not respond at all.  
  
He looked up, however, to see that Kaya was gone.  
  
"Kaya? Miss Kaya?" Krow moved towards the staircase, nearer to the damaged pine-wood, his eyes darting about. "You can't run, you know that..." A soft rustling sounded, and Krow spun around to see Kaya, who had just rolled out from beneath the sofa. Krow remembered with a start that the pistol in the house had been stored in a secret compartment inside the coffee table he had just blown apart.  
  
A dully metallic click sounded as Kaya cocked the trigger, her jaw set and her eyes trained on Krow.  
  
"I know I can't run," She said slowly, keeping the shaking in her voice to a bare minimum, "but neither can you."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Is this it?"  
  
"Yes," The girl said nervously, watching Sanji scan the abandoned facility, and without another word he strode over and kicked the garage door open. Crowds of leather-clad people with handfuls of knives, copper pipes, broken table legs and chair legs loomed out at him. All of them were sneering, and Sanji smirked back.  
  
"Didn't I beat half of you up back at GLU?" The model asked with a raised eyebrow. Some of the men looked nervously back at him, and others started to look uncertain.  
  
However, everyone's attention was brought to a man approaching Sanji from the gas station beside the garage. The model raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You're the rude clown from back at the dinner dance," He recalled, scowling. Buggy scowled back, snapping,  
  
"You caught me off-guard, you pansy."  
  
"_Pansy?_" Sanji couldn't supress a chuckle before reverting back to his demanding self. "Where's Nami-san?"  
  
Buggy snorted. "She doesn't exist anymore."  
  
Sanji felt as though his insides were about to freeze up. His eyes narrowed as he hissed, "You didn't--"  
  
"No, I mean, her body's here," Buggy said hastily, "but _she_ isn't."  
  
"You mean you beat her to a point of unconciousness?" Sanji growled, his eyes suddenly ablaze with anger. He couldn't imagine how they could hurt someone-- let alone someone so defenceless and vunerable and beautiful-- as Nami-san, and he felt revolted that this clown would dare to manage such a tremendous and atrocious feat. However, Buggy was shaking his head frantically.  
  
"No! Actually, she beat some of my crew to a point of unconciousness for calling her 'pretty'!"  
  
Sanji frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm saying that due to her vanity, she was insulted to be called 'pretty' when she is supposed to be beautiful!" Buggy yelled.  
  
What happened next happened so quickly Sanji barely had time to blink before the area where Buggy had been standing suddenly erupted in billowing clouds of dust. A strangely familiar shriek shrilly sounded.  
  
"I am not 'beautiful', I am the most beautiful lady in the entire universe!!"  
  
Sanji coughed, trying to see through the smoke, when a gust of wind blasted across the abandoned gas station to clear away the dust, revealing a sore-looking Buggy and an female figure. The blonde's eyes widened as his jaw dropped so low he was sure it would hit the ground.  
  
She flippantly twirled to smile dazzlingly at Sanji, her hazel-brown eyes pleased and vain as an arrogant smile pulled back lips that had been coated perfectly with a sheen of red lipstick. Her long orange locks were swept back breath-takingly behind her bare-shoulders, her curvy form snugly fit with black _leather_, of all things. In her hands she cradled what looked like part of a bed-frame in the medical station back in GLU that had been twisted off with sheer force.  
  
"N-N-Nami-s-san?!" Sanji finally managed to splutter, completely unsure of what he was seeing. She smirked at his disbelief, patting her palm with the end of the metal bed-frame.  
  
"Wrong, Pretty-boy." She said pleasantly, her eyes sparkling with a relish.  
  
"Wh-wha--?!"  
  
"Lady Alvida," She cut in, her grip tightening on the metal as she saw Sanji's complete loss for words or coherent thought, "Nami no longer exists."  
  
The blonde was so distracted, he did not notice a dark-haired man with dark shadows beneath his eyes emerge from the small toolhouse next to the garage. The man stared with wide eyes from beneath the blue and white band swathing his head. He stared for a long time.  
  
Then he slipped back into the toolhouse without anyone noticing him at all.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kale grabbed the blade in him with both hands, trying in vain to keep the steel in him, but Cabodi tore the blade out of his fingers. Chuu and Jango stared at Cabodi, flabbergasted.  
  
"I-- I didn't mean--" Cabodi stammered, his eyes rolling frantically as he staggered backwards, "I-- I didn't _intend_--"  
  
The small boy fell from Chuu's and Jango's grip, gave a futile attempt to stay standing, then coughed out no ordinary amount of blood before crumpling onto the ground. The waves of heat and pain from his stomach were unbearable; he felt as though hands were pulling him down, grappling at him with burning claws and dipping his head repeatedly into hellfire and darkness.  
  
'This... isn't how I...?' Kale forced himself to roll onto his side, and brought his hands to try and clutch at the gaping hole through his middle. Gripping at his stomach, however, an unpleasant gush of warm liquid soaked his fingers; lifting a hand to his eyes, Kale saw it was completely soaked with blood. He coughed painfully, blood splattering the saw-dust covered floor, looking up to see the three men were now in a full-out argument, verging on a brawl.  
  
'This is my chance... I can escape now...' However, Kale couldn't bring himself to move. He tried to stand, but felt energy and blood drain away from him in such rapid waves he was forced to collapse once more. The dull light filtering through filmy, grimy window panes seemed to be getting darker and darker. He blinked, but the Messenger Angel realised the human body he was in couldn't stand much more. Luffy was going to die.  
  
'But... if my death is destined soon, and if I presume it to be today... then Luffy dying doesn't affect me. I just return to Heaven...' Feeling confused, Kale found his body curling into a ball from the pain, clutching his stomach tightly with his fingers.  
  
'Luffy can't die. Although this is my job to do, Luffy's _life_ is dependant on this quest. What's going on? Why is he dying-- when I feel it should be my own deathday today...?' He was starting to feel colder, his vision growing duller, darker, when it suddenly came to Kale.  
  
'Of course,' Kale realised, 'I'm an Angel... not a very high-ranking one, but... all Angels can...'  
  
_Luffy, are you there?  
  
Yeah!! Kale, what's going on?? I feel weak, like I'm in the sea or something!  
  
You're dying, Luffy. You got stabbed.  
  
But Zoro always gets stabbed and he's always fine! Why should this kill me?! This--  
  
Luffy, listen to me. We don't have much time. This body is of Earth's, not your world's, and what's more it's a 12 year old body. You are losing blood rapidly, Luffy, and it'll take a miracle for you to live.  
  
...You mean... I have no choice? I have to die?  
  
NO! I'm an Angel, remember?!  
  
But what does that have to do with--?  
  
All Angels can exchange their life with someone else's.  
  
...So?  
  
This means, Luffy, that the time has come for us to say goodbye.  
  
What?  
  
Once I'm gone, you'll have total control over this body. You won't have your rubber ability-- I can't grant you that at my Angel rank, but--  
  
Wait a minute!! What do you mean goodbye?!  
  
I just told you, you idiot-- I'm going to leave this body so you can live.  
  
Don't do that!  
  
Don't be stupid, Luffy. I'm supposed to die today.  
  
How do you know th--  
  
All Angels know. So live with it, Luffy, okay?!! Geez! You're so dense I worry about leaving you alone, but hey, you'll have other people taking care of you now, right?  
  
Kale--_  
  
Before he could hear Luffy protest anymore, Kale brought his shaking fingers to clasp each other; they were slippery with blood, but he forced them tightly together.  
  
'So this is it, huh?'  
  
The Messenger Angel shut his eyes for his final prayer. As a warmth began to spread from his hands to his body, Kale smiled briefly.  
  
_Take care, captain._  
  
And he was gone.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Damn it, Gin, what the hell is wrong with you?!" Krieg shouted in exasperation, watching Gin blocking the door with furious eyes, "Move out of my way!!"  
  
"_No._" Gin's eyes flashed angrily back, startling Krieg. "I will not move out of the way until you swear to me--"  
  
"--Gin, stop being an idiot!! I never understood your reluctance to this Plan, but this is just the limit!"  
  
"Sir," Gin growled through gritted teeth, "you never said _anything_ about killing Augustus Flint."  
  
"Get a grip. That was a necessary precaution-- we couldn't take his will by force and leave him alive without him squealing, you know that!"  
  
"What I understand is that I agreed to comply to your desperate measures to regain some sort of self-respect," Gin said slowly, his eyes darkening with every word, "I know that the GLU dinner dance fiasco is something you do not wish to admit defeat at. You hate losing to _anything_; therefore you felt some sort of perverse need to acquire some sort of new status. That, I understood. I turned a blind eye at your sudden greed for money, your urgency to bow at Arlong's feet to beg--"  
  
Krieg punched Gin into the door behind him before grabbing the front of his clothes and slamming him into it.  
  
"_Beg?!!_" Don Krieg shouted, his eyes bulging as spit gathered at the corners of his mouth, "I didn't know you thought so lowly of me, Gin!!"  
  
"I didn't," Gin said raggedly and angrily, "I didn't see what was wrong with you until I saw what was wrong with myself."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I was wondering why I felt so compelled to be repulsed everytime you grovelled at someone's feet, whether it was Arlong or Waporu or Krow. I didn't understand why I was _compelled_ to feel so detached from the stupidity of the situation - having to watch the desperacy of a man who had lost face and was stepping on himself even more just to get himself to rise up again - I didn't get why I had some sort of-- _reluctance_ to feel so disgusted. That was until I realised what I was doing all along was exactly the same thing."  
  
Gin's eyes narrowed underneath the band as he shouted, "There is a difference between an ambition and an obsession, Don Krieg! I respected who you were for your strength and your rules, but now I see even those qualities are now beneath you as you accept _murder_ as a step towards your own fulfillment of new power! _Don't be a fool, Krieg! You have to stop this now!_"  
  
"Murder is a tool!!" Krieg shouted, his spit flying from his mouth, "You have no right to say to me what murder means when _you_ were a murderer in your last life, too!"  
  
There was a chilling pause as Gin stared at Krieg's mad eyes and slightly sagging mouth, breathing heavily, and Gin muttered, "Put me down."  
  
The larger man complied, and Gin straightened his jacket as he muttered, "You remember, too?"  
  
"Of course," Krieg growled, "why else would I want victory so badly?"  
  
"Krieg, just because we have a past life doesn't mean it completely applies to us," Gin said slowly, his eyes narrowing. "I was a murderer in the last life, yes, I remember ending countless lives without a second thought, even enjoying my inevitable victories against the weak. But that all changed when I was at Death's doorstep. That fateful day I escaped from Marine captivity, I realised I was only human, Krieg, just like we all are."  
  
Gin's eyes softened for just a moment as he continued, "I was starving to death. I thought that I'd die on the spot - thought I had finally met my pitifully pathetic fate, and that the horrible emptiness in my stomach, the pains that resonated from my gut-- I thought that was the way I was to atone for my sins. But I was saved by someone-- someone who had no particular emotions to me, or any reason or obligation to help me. He only rescued me because he was _kind_, and I realised-- what death meant--"  
  
Gin snapped his head up to meet Krieg's eyes with his own determined ones as he said, "And so I always felt that this is why I found myself in another life. It was my second chance-- to prove that I understood how to cherish life some way or another-- to stop pointless deaths."  
  
"Oh, really? So you want to succeed in cleansing your dirty soul, do you?" Krieg snarled, only to be surprised as he was cut short.  
  
"No. Krieg, I realised that probably isn't what I'm doing in a new life. Because I saw him again, Krieg. _Outside._ And he's pretty much pre-occupied enough for now. I realise that this time, it's my turn to help him."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? You can't hurt me, I know that better than anyone." Krieg beamed suddenly, even letting out a chortle. "Now stop being such a prick and let me through so I can kick that waiter's sorry ass."  
  
"He wasn't a waiter, her was vice-chef." Gin said, and he smirked briefly before pulling out something so discreetly and so quickly Krieg didn't have enough time to react to the cold metallic, hard surface pressed against his trousers. Gin's face fell a little as he said quietly, "I'm sorry, Don Krieg."  
  
He pulled the trigger, and Krieg let out an anguished and surprised yell as his knee-cap exploded. He collapsed onto the floor heavily, letting out a choked and angry string of curses. Gin ignored him, and did not hesitate to shoot Krieg's other shin.  
  
"Y-you @#$%ing son of a bitch," Krieg swore, his eyes burning through Gin, "Why did you have to do this? I'll never forgive you for this betrayal-- you'll never return to your rank again--"  
  
Gin let out a soft sigh as he pocketed the gun. "I didn't have a choice."  
  
"You did," Krieg growled, "you could have been _smart_ and you would have kept your high position in my group. You could have been just as powerful, could have had all the money you needed. It would have all worked out, and we would have all been happy. Why didn't you just let the Plan _work smoothly_, you--?!"  
  
"Don't you understand, Don Krieg?" Gin interrupted, raising his brows so high they disappeared beneath the headband, "That's why I exist. See, as long as people like me exist, people like you aren't able to have their way."  
  
"Gin--" Krieg began, but Gin shook his head, turned around and pressed a hand against the toolhouse door.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are you doing after Zoro?"  
  
"I don't have to tell you that, Raven." Jenna replied with a nasty smile. She gestured to someone, and before Tashigi could react a sharp blow to her skull sent her slamming into the ground. The others guffawed, Jenna herself chuckling. However, they abruptly fell silent when Tashigi let out a snort of laughter, causing Jenna to raise an eyebrow as Tashigi smiled at her.  
  
"I guess you don't, Jenna. Let's just sit here in silence, then. Or we can exchange insults, as you seem to like that."  
  
Jenna's eyes narrowed, and Tashigi didn't manage to move out of the way in time; someone's bokken hit her in the shins, and she winced, realising for the first time her hands were bound in duct-tape. _Well, at least they're not behind my back._  
  
"Trying to be funny, Raven? You do realise just one wrong word and I'll have your teeth broken in an instant." She waved her bokken threateningly above Tashigi, and was taken back as Tashigi let out loud a laugh.  
  
"What, am I supposed to be afraid of you? Because you're holding a stick of wood?" Tashigi asked, smirking. Jenna's eyes narrowed, and there was a pause before Jenna let out a short laugh herself.  
  
"Don't make me mad, Raven. You don't know what you're up against."  
  
"Why? Think you're all that since you learn kendo?"  
  
"Get this into your puny little skull," Jenna snapped, her eyes glaring in anger, "I'm at the seventh _dan_: _kyo-shi_. I don't think you even understand what that means, but let me inform you that only one percent of students who apply for the eighth _dan_ test actually pass."  
  
Tashigi began laughing, tears forming in her eyes as she watched Jenna's face pass through a series of angrily confused expressions.  
  
"Do you think _sho-go_ really matters in your ability to be _human_, Jenna?"  
  
"Do you actually know what you're saying?" Jenna said threateningly, gripping her bokken so tightly her knuckles were a painful white, and noticing this Tashigi shook her head, giving a little sigh of pity. A bokken got her from the side, throwing her onto the floor painfully, but even as she coughed she was laughing.  
  
"What's so funny?!" Jenna demanded, and Tashigi sat quite comfortably on the floor as she said softly,  
  
"Jenna, do you know actually know how to use the bokken in your hands?"  
  
There was a long silence, Tashigi's challenge clinging to the tension in the air and making it heavy. Then Jenna stepped past the circle of people surrounding Tashigi, and gestured at them to widen the circle. Then she set her stance to fighting.  
  
"Alright then, Raven. Get up if you wanna see what I've got." Jenna said in a low voice. Tashigi smiled, forcing her jarred bones to work without shaking, and stood up across Jenna. She made a point of holding her head up quite proudly. There was a long silence as Jenna simply glared at Tashigi. Her stance was wide, slightly lowered in level. Tashigi got sick of the tension.  
  
"All bark and no bite? I thought--" She began prompting, when without warning, Jenna let out a yell as she suddenly surged forwards. It was a quick slash down attempted for Tashigi's head, and as her skull felt as though it was about to explode already, Tashigi swung her arms up to meet the wood. It hit her bones with enough force all her knuckles cracked in a row, and wincing, she threw the weight of the bokken aside.  
  
Jenna seemed to be so enraged, however, Tashigi spent all her energy avoiding her diagonal upper-cuts, her dropping-cuts and angered slashes all aimed for her face. Seeing Jenna in such a hysterically angered state made Tashigi suddenly laugh as she avoided a horizontal cut easily. Hearing Tashigi laugh made Jenna stop, and she breathed heavily as she snapped, "Laughing doesn't suit you, Raven. Especially when you're pathetically dodging all my attacks."  
  
Tashigi took a deep breath, practically scalding in the heat of Jenna's anger. "_Heta._" She said, and Jenna's eyes widened as Tashigi chuckled. "Bet you heard that a lot, didn't you? Your moves are poorly executed. You are so blinded with your wounds to your pride and anger you don't seem like you're at seventh _dan_ at all.. Your standard's more like... I don't know.. _kyo-jun_."  
  
"You're one to speak," Jenna snarled, her eyes flashing angrily, "I may not be perfect, but I'm a thousand times better than you. Compared with me you're just a little raven chick still learning how to cheep."  
  
"Well, then why are you getting so angry, if I'm just cheeping?" Tashigi asked, and Jenna let out an angered cry as she swiped at Tashigi with a random dropping-cut that she easily dodged. Then, swinging behind her, Tashigi kicked the bokken out of Jenna's grip and slammed her to the ground, pinning her arms to her sides with her knees.  
  
"Get off me!!" Jenna screamed, albeit a little weakly due to a lot of air being knocked out of her lungs, and Tashigi sat on Jenna's back easily.  
  
"I've been asking you to do the same for _months_," Tashigi hissed, "I don't understand you, Jenna. You know you're not perfect. So why the hell are you picking on those you feel aren't perfect, either? You really feel you're that much better?"  
  
Jenna threw Tashigi off her back with surprising force, and managed a horizontal cut across Tashigi's shoulder-blade. Tashigi gave a painful grin at Jenna, who was staring at her angrily.  
  
"That's a bit better," Tashigi said with a quiet laugh, "_Jozu_."  
  
"Stop telling me crap like that!!" Jenna shrieked, and thrust the bokken tip right into Tashigi's unsuspecting gut. She stumbled back a little, but still managed to dodge Jenna's attempt at a strike to her temple.  
  
"Jenna, come on. Enlighten me here." Tashigi said as she blocked a blow to her side using her wrists, "I'm curious to know why you need people like me to feel better against."  
  
"You're nothing! You know that yourself, too!" Jenna snarled, pulling herself back to widely diagonally slash at Tashigi, who moved a little back so it barely grazed her shoulder.  
  
"I can read all of your moves when you're radiating anger like that, you know." Tashigi commented as Jenna angrily failed to land an upward-cut, "I wonder why you're so angry when you're telling me I'm nothing. Don't you believe it, too? Or maybe you're afraid?"  
  
"Of what, you?!" Jenna screamed, horizontally cutting with the bokken but only getting blocked by Tashigi's duct-tape clad hands, "Stop trying to screw me over, Raven!"  
  
"All I'm suggesting is a possibility, Jenna," Tashigi said in polite tones as she swerved out of the way of a thrust aimed at her chest, "that perhaps you're afraid that _you_ might be nothing too."  
  
Jenna's eyes flashed, and Tashigi let out a small yelp of surprise when someone behind her struck her behind the knees; she fell to the floor and watched Jenna's feet pound unceremoniously across the floor as she let out an angered, almost tearful holler as she charged towards Tashigi. She squeezed her eyes shut. _At least I tried._  
  
"_Dragon_..."  
  
Everyone turned sharply at the sudden sound of voice--  
  
"..._Coil_!!"  
  
--the thick circle of people at the circumference surrounding Jenna and Tashigi were abruptly blown away from a powerful blast of wind. Tashigi's eyes widened as she saw, for just the briefest moment, a flash of green-hair somewhere near. She was distracted, however, by the surprised cry of Jenna.  
  
"Smoker!? What are you doing h--?!"  
  
"I should be asking _you_ that," Smoker snapped, and ignoring her he turned to Tashigi. "Are you okay?" He asked as he roughly ripped the tape off Tashigi's skin. She nodded, trying not to start crying in pain, and Smoker suddenly punched a man trying to hit Tashigi over the head behind her. He swerved around her to start pounding the crap out of some of the gangsters starting to spill in.  
  
"How'd he know where you were?" Jenna asked confusedly. Tashigi wasn't listening, however; she had discovered a discarded bokken, and she was now in posession of it. Holding the handle forward she set her feet to a parallel position.  
  
"Jenna, you said you were seventh _dan_, right? Prove it to me."  
  
Jenna looked almost hesitant for a moment, but her eyes hardened. She charged forward, the bokken in her hands held at a half-forward stance, letting out a war-cry as she prepared to strike a dropping-cut to Tashigi's head at what she thought was lightning speed.  
  
She looked to be moving in slow-motion from Tashigi's view. Sliding downwards, Tashigi easily moved out of range, and ran a simple horizontal-cutting body blow across Jenna's stomach. She quickly brought the bokken up in a sharp upper-cut that slammed Jenna's jaw shut, and as Jenna let out a choked noise, Tashigi moved behind Jenna in a fluid motion. Without waiting for Jenna to recover, Tashigi diagonally slashed down at Jenna's back as her final blow.  
  
She fell to the ground, choking, her brown and copper hair spilling all over the place as a think trickle of blood fell past her cut lip. Tashigi threw the bokken down, looking down at Jenna's fallen form.  
  
"Jenna, I'm a rare ninth _dan_," Tashigi said quietly, rubbing her sore wrists, "I'm an assistant to my kendo sensei. You didn't stand a chance."  
  
"Why didn't you ever stop me before?" She whispered. Tashigi looked down-cast for a moment before saying softly,  
  
"Because you nearly made me believe I really was nothing."  
  
A tear fell past Jenna's cheek, and she did not reply.  
  
Tashigi quickly moved out of the way as a man fell heavily onto the floor where she had been standing, and she was suddenly face-to-face with Zoro Roronoah.  
  
"Tashigi, you okay?!" He demanded, and Tashigi might've rolled her eyes at the complete lack of compassion in his voice had she been in different circumstances. Instead, she smiled slightly.  
  
"Yeah. Behind you--"  
  
Zoro jabbed his elbow into the girl's jaw, and she fell whimpering to the floor as Zoro said urgently, "Look, we gotta run. I don't know how, but Smoker's here and he'll be more than happy to take us all into custody for stirring up this crap."  
  
"Not you," Tashigi began to protest, when Smoker suddenly shouted,  
  
"Tashigi, keep that green-haired buffoon in place!! He needs to give a couple of good answers!"  
  
"Not me," Zoro said sarcastically as Tashigi sweatdropped. She dodged a bokken Smoker had kicked out of someone's hand, and Zoro deflected it with a quick swipe of his hand as he asked her,  
  
"Well?! You staying for the questioning or--"  
  
"Definitely not! Let's go," Tashigi said, and weaving their way in and out of the mob of fighting people they slid out of the way and began running down the stairs of the building.  
  
"What happened? Did you just follow them here or what?" Zoro asked as they hurried down the steps.  
  
"I was an idiot and I listened to Jenna when she made up some phony story about you being in danger." Tashigi said without thinking. Then she blushed as she quickly added, "Er, that is, she said I was the only one who could help."  
  
"Uh huh. Yuina told me that you were captured, by the way."  
  
"Really?" Tashigi said, pleasantly surprised, and smiled as she murmured, "I guess I should trust her fully now."  
  
They ran down in silence for a while, and were just approaching ground-floor when Zoro suddenly spoke up.  
  
"Good job with Jenna, by the way."  
  
Tashigi blinked, surprised by the curiously proud tone in his voice, and without meaning to she tripped over her own feet. Although she let out a yelp of surprise, she was quite used to this and forced herself to swerve around so she'd run into a wall, not the floor. However, instead of crashing into concrete, she crashed into Zoro.  
  
"You're so damn clumsy!" Zoro said with a frown, holding her by the shoulders and setting her to her feet.  
  
"H-how'd you know?" Tashigi asked dumb-foundedly, "I mean-- know how I'd-- go into the wall--?"  
  
"You did it before," Zoro said with a roll of his eyes, "but I should tell you that even though it seems like you'll hit the floor, there's a chance you'll trip but still land on your feet at the bottom."  
  
"That's a small chance. Isn't it better to be safe?" Tashigi asked, raising a brow in question. He shrugged.  
  
"It's probably healthier to take that chance than crash into walls. I mean, look at your face now." He poked gingerly at a swelling, bleeding bruise at her head, and she winced. Then Zoro frowned, taking her face into his hand to look at the bruise more properly.  
  
"Wait a minute. Did they do this to you?"  
  
Tashigi, however, was shocked into silence. His face was barely an inch away from hers, and his nose was brushing very slightly against hers in a too-close-for-comfort kind of way. And his breath was mingling with hers, his lips far more closer than they'd been back at the dinner-dance...  
  
When she didn't reply, he looked at her in the eye with a frown, apparently unaware his hand was at her cheek in a very inappropriate manner, their faces a bit too close as he prompted, "Tashigi?"  
  
"Roronoa?" She breathed, searching his eyes, and he was immediately frozen to the spot and petrified at the way she'd called his name. He was suddenly blindingly aware of the their position against the wall, the way her eyes were looking into his, and his heart suddenly began to sound deafening in his own ears. Looking back at her, his thumb tentatively starting to lightly rub against her forehead, he swallowed.  
  
"THERE THEY ARE!!"  
  
"Ahck!!" Tashigi yelped as Zoro sprang back, as though he'd been burnt. The green-head hastily muttered,  
  
"Oh shit--" He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the rest of the way, yelling, "Come on!!"  
  
Although there were bruises starting to pattern her wrist and waves of pain were starting to emanate up her arm, Tashigi curled her own fingers over Zoro's as she answered, "I know, I know--"  
  
They ran out the fire-exit and out of the building, both unable to face each other properly during that moment as they were both rather brilliant shades of red.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Er, let me think... I do *not* know kendo, so this is just plain awkward for me, isn't it? I researched a bit, seeing my abysmal knowledge of kendo would not serve to be enough... but hey, the hell, I'm just a moron trying to sound cool. I can't really be bothered to explain the _sho-go_ ranking system, but all the other Japanese phrases were just for little taunts. _Heta_ is 'unskillful' or something like that, and _jozu_ is supposedly 'good move' or something similar. _Kyo-jun_ is 'low standard', I think, and _dan_ is just a Japanese term for 'level'. I don't know if I used the terms correctly, and I don't know anyone who can correct this for me in my vicinity. If anyone sees a correction that just has to be made then please, please inform me. ^_^;; As an extra note, Tashigi being a ninth-_dan_ is a bit of a stretch, but I'll just request some suspension of disbelief here... ^_^;;;;  
  
Okay, about the chapter. Phew... this one's a LONG one. I didn't want to cut it up, though, so here you go. I am aware Alvida would not choose to wear black leather, (or at least I don't think she would) but it was her only choice. Action... er, I suck at it. Unfortunately there are large dollops of it coming up, so please forgive me for my horribly big gaps between updates. It takes me a long time to write up action, simply because if I don't think while I type that up, it comes up crap. I mean, most things would, but action would come out crappier than crap, so... er... what am I trying to say? Nothing. Right. Uhm... =_=;;  
  
Thanks for reading uptil now, if you have... I have no idea how happy I can say I am, and I congratulate you for have such a large portion of patience in your hearts for not only the colassal LENGTH of this blurdy thing, but the unending amounts of crappiness distilled in the chapters everywhere. I love you guys for this, and I hope I can make it up to you by trying to, at least, get the freaking Reborn fanfiction page UP. Grrrrrr...  
  
Uh, anyways. I'm done, I think. ^_^; Signing out.  
  
  
**


	49. The Captors Paled

  
  
"That was a seriously weird twist, Kale."  
  
Kale sat up amongst the green grass, trying to blink the bright light away from his eyes as he said in shock, "Rainte?!"  
  
"God wasn't expecting that." Rainte replied, throwing his long hair back as he frowned at Kale. "I suppose you don't know that it wasn't your deathday today?"  
  
"It wasn't my-- _what?!_" Kale yelled out, his eyes widening, and Rainte sighed, plopping down next to Kale as he commented,  
  
"Guess not even God thought your benevolence had reached this level of sacrifice."  
  
"So... I died for nothing, huh?" Kale said quietly, feeling extremely idiotic as he looked down at the grass. Then he blinked before staring at Rainte, his jaw dropping open.  
  
"Wait a second. What am I doing here, then? Once Angels die, God creates new ones, doesn't he? Sort of like recycling souls...?"  
  
"Recycling souls? That's crude, Kale," Rainte said, frowning, and Kale looked sheepishly back, running a hand through his flaming red hair.  
  
"Sorry, I couldn't think of a better term. The point is, I shouldn't be here."  
  
"That's right," Rainte said, and he gave a rare smile at Kale as he added, "you should be back at Dimension 900Z, completing your mission for the Oda dimension."  
  
"He's sending me back? Because I made a mistake?" Kale said in shock, his jaw dropping open again. Rainte laughed heartily.  
  
"You moron, you were going to live today and die later from a Demon invading your body."  
  
"A Demon?!" Kale echoed, and Rainte's smile faded a little as he explained,  
  
"Valkrief set loose a load of Demons into several Dimensions using the Forbidden Void." Shaking his head, Rainte added, "By any rate, your deathday has been post-poned. Because a Demon can't get into you now, Kale."  
  
"Wh-what? But I'm only a Messenger Angel!" Kale stammered, and Rainte laughed again.  
  
"Not anymore you aren't."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Kale, when you made that unnecessary sacrifice, God decided to promote you."  
  
"Pro_mote_ me?!" Kale squawked, and Rainte smiled at him.  
  
"That's right. You're here to get Gold Wings from me."  
  
"Y-you don't mean--?!"  
  
"Congratulations, Kale," Rainte said with a grin, "You are now officially a Gold Angel."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Zoro Roronoah, is it?"  
  
Zoro skid to a stop, Tashigi smacking into his back as he looked at the two looming figures before him. One had an awkwardly long and crooked nose with long, messy hair, and he towered higher than the black-haired man beside him. They both stared at Zoro and Tashigi with penalising expressions, and the two stared back at the loud Hawaiian prints on their shirts.  
  
"Who would you be?" Tashigi demanded, stepping away from Zoro's shadow, and the black-haired man replied.  
  
"Part of the Plan to detain both Sandy White and Zoro Roronoah. Also part of the Merman Clan, meaning we have superior blood to start with... so there is no point resisting, you realise."  
  
"Where're your bokkens?" Tashigi whispered to Zoro. The green-head frowned.  
  
"I dropped both bokkens back at the building," He muttered, and Tashigi winced.  
  
"So... we have no choice but to... run?"  
  
"That's Plan B." Zoro replied.  
  
"Just follow us so we can beat the crap out of you somewhere less public." The crookedly-nosed man drawled, and Tashigi looked up at Zoro, wondering what the slightly confused crease at his usually nonchalant face meant.  
  
"...You're Arlong." Zoro said suddenly, looking and sounding surprised. Arlong's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Heard of the head of the Merman Clan, have you?" He asked, sounding remotely disturbed. Zoro grinned, shaking his head.  
  
"Why would I know something as stupid-sounding as that?"  
  
The black-haired guy looked angrily at the green-head and raised his fist threateningly with a dangerous growl but Arlong held up a hand, stopping him. Tashigi noticed he had piercings on the folds between his fingers.  
  
"Calm it, Kuroobi. Tell me, Roronoah - how do you know me, then?"  
  
"Because the last time we met, you nearly killed me," Zoro answered, and smirked as he added, "but of course I was practically dead from an injury anyway. This time, I may not be nearly quite as strong... but you have no weird-ass nose, so this should be easy."  
  
"Don't be so ignorant," Kuroobi shouted, enraged, "you speak nonsense and explicitly ignore the blood we Mermen posess!" Spinning around, the man spun around and punched the side of a building. A deep web of cracks in the concrete rippled out from his fist before exploding, showering them with bits of plaster and concrete. Smiling painedly in satisfaction, Kuroobi turned to Zoro, his mouth open to perhaps boast or threaten.  
  
The man met Zoro's fist instead, and went flying into the concrete wall and through it. Tashigi stared at the wall, her mouth slightly agape as Kuroobi choked out a tooth before collapsing completely.  
  
"Why you--!!" Arlong swung at Zoro angrily, who swiftly dodged and jammed his elbow into Arlong's gut before kicking him roughly into the wall. His large form tore through the wall as though it were paper, but unlike Kuroobi he got up quickly and swiped at Zoro with his knuckles. This time, Zoro was less lucky as he hadn't expected such a quick recovery, and the piercings between Arlong's knuckles cut through his cheek.  
  
"Zoro!" Tashigi gasped, and then let out a choked noise as Kuroobi's fingers suddenly grabbed her round the throat.  
  
She struggled, throwing her weight back to thrust Kuroobi off balance before kicking him in the shins. Kuroobi let out a hissed curse, dropping Tashigi as she stumbled away from him, and Zoro stole a short glance before gritting his teeth as he glared at Arlong. A small trickle of blood ran down his face as Zoro ducked a heavy swipe to his neck, and caught Arlong's legs with one of his own to send the large man crashing down.  
  
Just then, Kuroobi swerved around and hit Tashigi's arm with the side of his hand with enough force to make her bones crack. She let out a sharp cry of pain, forcing Zoro's eyes on her, before shoving her arm forward to intercept another attempt to fracture her bones. Kuroobi's hand collided with her fore-arm, but this time, he was startled as Tashigi pulled back slightly before pushing forward again with stronger force. She managed a sharp kick to his abdomen which sent Kuroobi reeling back to the wall.  
  
The few moments Zoro spent staring at Tashigi were dearly paid for as Arlong's two clenched hands caught a blow to his head, and he felt his world spinning as his head hit the ground. However, he pulled himself up immediately as he saw Arlong's looming figure headed straight for Tashigi.  
  
"Go to sleep, you bastard," Zoro growled before performing an imitation of a Sanji spinning kick; his heel caught Arlong's nose and crunched it before slamming Arlong's face to the ground. The cement cracked below Arlong's head, and Zoro stepped back from the unconcious figure with a thoughtful look. It was nowhere near as effective as any of Sanji's kicks, Zoro admitted to himself, but nontheless, effective.  
  
"You okay?" Tashigi nodded as Zoro began to run again. Following suit, she asked curiously,  
  
"I didn't know you knew martial arts as well as sword technique."  
  
"I don't know martial arts," Zoro said truthfully. Tashigi's eyes narrowed, and she didn't say anything for a moment. Then,  
  
"Liar."  
  
  
  
  
  
Smoker grit his teeth angrily as he ran after the two retreating figures, but was forced to a stop as someone suddenly skid in his way. He tried to run around the figure, but the person simply moved in his way again.  
  
"What is it?!!" Smoker asked frustratedly, then paused. He stared at the figure. There was something strongly familiar about this person... "Do I know you?"  
  
"Maybe." The person shrugged, grinning loosely as he added, "I do admit, I think I've seen you somewhere before."  
  
"I'm sorry, but we'll need to talk some other time because you're just _in the way_." Smoker snapped, but the young man shook his head, spinning on his skateboard infuriatingly in Smoker's way as he said,  
  
"Nope. Can't let you pass."  
  
"Why not?!!" Smoker snarled, and the skater shrugged.  
  
"Something told me to come here today, so I'll just following on instinct."  
  
Smoker's eye twitched.  
  
"Let me pass."  
  
"No way, man."  
  
Smoker stared at the skater boy idly skate around him, before asking lowly, "You... don't remember a thing... do you?"  
  
"No idea what you're talking about," The young man said breezily, flipping his skateboard around as he spun, and Smoker took the chance to dart forward in effort to run past the skater boy. Instead, however, he was thrown to the ground and winded as a skateboard slammed into his back, and let out a wheezy yell of indignance as the skater boy sat heavily on top of his back, onto the skateboard. The wheels dug into his back as the young man said boredly, "I told you I'm not letting you pass."  
  
Smoker's heart sank as he realised he hadn't been much of a match against this guy in his last life, so there probably wasn't much chance for him here either.  
  
"Damn it!!" Smoker cursed the world with all the breath his could muster before struggling in futile attempts to throw the skater boy off his back.  
  
"Stop trying man."  
  
Smoker let out a long string of rather colourful swearing before quieting down to brood. He waited for a chance to spring up when the young man was least expecting it, but when he tried to throw him off Smoker found the weight too much for him to move.  
  
Then he noticed that the young man had very rhythmetic, quiet breathing... his weight heavy and his body unmoving... Smoker swallowed with difficulty, sweat trickling down his neck, hoping against hope that the skater wasn't doing what he was thinking-- the skater snored.  
  
"DAMN IT! WAKE UP AND LET ME GO DAMN IT!! ARRRRRGHHHHH!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kaya, what do you think you are doing?" Krow asked in surprisingly calm tones as Kaya held the gun at him.  
  
"If you d-don't g-give me your c-ce-cell-phone right now, I will-- I _will_ shoot," She managed to say, and held out a quavering hand.  
  
"Do you really think so?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow, and Kaya screamed,  
  
"GIVE ME YOUR PHONE!!" Her finger shook uncontrollably at the trigger, and eyeing this, Krow shrugged and slid his cell-phone out of his pocket. He threw it at Kaya, who wasn't stupid enough to dive for it; she let it clatter across the pine-wood, and reaching down slowly and keeping the gun trained Kaya picked up the phone. She flipped it open to find it was shut off.  
  
"No batteries." Krow said pleasantly as she tried to turn it on, and glaring at him Kaya threw the cell-phone down. She kept the gun trained at him as she said through her teeth,  
  
"Get those blades out of your fingers."  
  
"These things?" He asked idly, swinging them dangerously across his face, and Kaya let out an unmasked gasp of worry before hardening her eyes again. Her cheeks flushed as Krow smirked at her, waving his blades about carelessly as he asked,  
  
"Worried for me, Kaya?"  
  
"I-I said t-to remove those things fr-from your fingers!!" Kaya said angrily, the gun trembling slightly from her rage, and Krow let out a laugh.  
  
"You can't shoot me, Kaya. I think the person that knows that most is you."  
  
"What are you talking about? I c-can shoot you. I-I can h-hurt you. Af--after all, you-- you hurt me." She swallowed, a tear sliding down a cheek as she held the gun at Krow's heart, whispering, "I'm not that weak anymore, Klahadol. I will shoot you if-- if you m-make me."  
  
"No you won't." Krow said easily, making Kaya stare at his forth-rightness. He smiled at her twistedly, his eyes lit with malevolent delight, and she shrunk back slightly. Her eyes looked uncertainly at his smile as he continued, "Kaya, I know you better than you know yourself. You are no stronger than you were than in our other life."  
  
Kaya gasped, but kept her hands on the gun tightly as she looked at Krow. He continued to smirk. "Your strength is not your own. Even all those many years ago, you got yourself into this little self-pitying depression. Perhaps it was part of your silly adolescence, but all the same, you were painfully childish and whiny, always wishing for others to love you and worry about you."  
  
"No," Kaya said angrily, "Stop trying to confuse me, Klahadol."  
  
"Denial is your strongest point," Krow went on, ignoring Kaya, "so you deny everything. It's not _your_ fault your parents died, so you think you have this right to be painfully... _juvenile_. It's not _your_ fault you can't laugh, that you're not hungry, so you just _need_ people to wile their lives away on you, trying to feed you... trying to make you smile."  
  
"Stop it." She tried to order, and Krow let out a short laugh of mockery. She found she could not look at Krow straight in the face.  
  
"Please. Can't bear to hear about yourself? Perhaps you also deny the facts of your certain... _inept_ personailty? You constantly harbour this certain... _clinginess._ You must always require someone's help, to clothe you, bathe you, feed you..."  
  
"You d-don't know me." Kaya snarled, but her eyes were filled with tears.  
  
"Oh, I do. I know you very well, Kaya. And this so-called _strength_ you are using to point that gun at me is nothing but a childish way of _standing up_. Always been the _victim_, haven't you, Kaya? But you see, you're all alone now. You have no one to cling to but yourself. And you, Kaya, are absolutely nothing without anyone else to depend on. So that is why I know for sure that you have no real intention in pulling that trigger. You're far too cowardly."  
  
Kaya bit her lip, trying to stem the flow of tears now steadily slipping down her cheeks as she repeated shakily, "You d-don't kn-know me."  
  
"Oh I don't, do I? Then explain to me why your finger is off the trigger."  
  
Kaya glanced down, horrified to find that her finger was off the trigger, to find energy draining away from her muscles so that they were relaxing, slowly letting the gun down, lower, lower... Kaya's vision blurred thickly with tears.  
  
Something wet and warm suddenly enveloped her hands, and Kaya's blinked the tears out of her eyes as she felt Usopp's nose gently press against her cheek, his chest pressing against her back. Kaya's felt her knees buckle as she felt his blood soak through her clothes to her back. However, his grip was warm and strong against her fingers, despite being slippery from blood, and he hissed into her ear, "This bastard doesn't deserve any mercy, Kaya."  
  
Krow narrowed his eyes, cursing himself for not realising Usopp had somehow made his way to Kaya without his knowing.  
  
"B-but he's right," Kaya whispered helplessly, "I c-can't pu-pull--!"  
  
"You _will_," Usopp said fiercely, holding his hands more tightly around hers and slipping her finger back into the trigger, "Kaya, don't lose to this git."  
  
Kaya finally brought herself to look into Krow's eyes, and her grip on the gun firmed. Usopp gave a reassuring squeeze to her hands, and Kaya swallowed, giving a small, affirmative nod.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chuu, Jango and Cabodi were all dumbfounded and completely bewildered by what was happening.  
  
First, an unexplainable luminance had radiated almost blindingly from the boy, and all of a sudden he was no longer keeling in pain but on his legs and standing quite easily. Then the boy proceeded to say, "Don't worry Luffy, I've got it under control!!" before pulling off his blood-soaked sweatshirt to reveal a completely unharmed torso.  
  
Before any of them could react, the boy arched sharply as a pair of brightly shining gold wings burst out of his back. They stared, all of their mouths involuntarily open as the boy pointed a hand at the large wooden doors. They burst apart in an explosion of mouldy wood and rusty chains, and the wings beat once, twice-- and the boy was gone.  
  
The three men sprinted out, but they failed to notice the young boy soaring through the air to a building roof, where he landed silently, the golden wings disappearing as he did so.  
  
_KALE! I thought-- I thought you were--  
  
Yeah, so did I. But I got promoted instead.  
  
Weird! So you can fly now?!  
  
Not only that, Luffy. I can do a load of other things too... now that I'm promoted._  
  
Grinning as he pulled the red sweatshirt back on, Kale let out a loud whistle. The hypnotist below spotted his bright red jumper from far below, and yelling to the others the captors ran to the building's lobby.  
  
_Kale, you know, before you healed me-- I thought I saw you for a moment. You look so different!  
  
Yeah, I'm like a kid.  
  
Yeah, but the red hair was more shocking! You look like your head's on fire!  
  
Okay, shut up and prepare yourself for a shock. Because I can't beat up those guys with Holy Powers... they're not worth it.  
  
Huh? So what are you going to do? If you can't use your powers?  
  
As a Gold Angel, I am authorised... even if it's only for a short while... to give you back your own powers.  
  
What?! You mean--?!  
  
Get ready to switch souls, Luffy._  
  
Cabodi slashed the door to the rooftop apart and entered with Chuu and Jango close behind. Standing before them, a remotely familiar figure stood. As he was shirtless, his lean and lanky form was evident, and his wide grin seemed easily recognisable.  
  
"Where's the boy, _chuu_?" Chuu asked urgently to Jango in an irritable tone, and the hypnotist insisted,  
  
"I swear I saw him up here!"  
  
"I am the boy!" The young man called out cheerfully. They stared at him, and their eyes trailed to the discarded scarlet jumper on the ground.  
  
"B-but--?" They could only stare at him in confusion, which was unfortunate because they were shocked into submission when the young man proceeded to stick a thumb into his mouth and stretch his cheek outwards... to the length of his entire arm. It popped back in place with a rubbery smack, and grinning broadly he remarked,  
  
"I missed being to do that! So, ready?"  
  
They stared. Jango swallowed before steeling himself to ask as unnervously as he possibly could, "Ready to what?"  
  
The young man gave an impatient sigh as he brought his arm back, flexing his visible muscles as he said ardently, "Ready to get your asses kicked, of course!"  
  
The captors paled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: I apologise for the seriously sloooooooooow update plan. I'll try to get the next chapter up quicker. Possibly the next one will have the most things happening in it, and I'll definitely put in lots of time for Sanji in that one... okay, gomen ne... by the way, I don't say my writing sucks just to be modest or to be fishing for compliments. I mean it. I know it's horrendous in many, many cases. Too long descriptions. Loads of occasional SPG(spelling, punctuation, grammar) errors due to careless mistakes. Corny little lines and scenes here and there and a problem with predictability and a poor responsibility with keeping to pure character (I just say "It's AU!" as an excuse, don't I?)... that's why I appreciate you guys so much for being able to accept these stupid problems with my writing and give me positive feedback. And that's why I feel it is my duty to constantly tell you I'm sorry that all I can do in return is force-feed you crappiness. ^_^;;;;; So thanks again for bearing with the crappy writing, and I hope I can dish out some new stuff soon. I promise I'll try and get a chapter up in 4-5 days. *waves***   
  



	50. Half Full and Half Empty

  
  
The metal caught him harshly across the jaw, but as he fell hard onto the ground Sanji made no effort to get up. He was already sporting bruises all over his arms and his face, and he felt a warm stream of blood trickle past his chin as her heel pressed deep into his spine. Hearing something crack and feeling a jolt of sharp pain, Sanji let out an involuntary yell of pain.  
  
"Pathetic." She said, shaking her head as she pressed the end of the twisted metal bed-frame against the back of the model's head with sharp jabs, "Astoundingly pathetic."  
  
"Nami-san," Sanji managed to say, but was interrupted by her piercing laugh. It was echoed by chortles from the surrounding crowd, who were obviously delighted to see someone who had been so strong before be beaten down by this girl.  
  
Finally getting the sore muscles in his legs to kick-start, Sanji flipped himself out of the way of a swing aimed to his skull, landing with an unsteady stagger that instigated another round of laughter.  
  
He desperately looked at her. Her eyes were the same hazel-brown, but they held none of the quality that could melt his heart but instead glittered with a cruel satisfaction. Her hair was still orange, still long, but the single lock of hair that Nami usually failed to tuck behind an ear was swept back. And her lips were not in its usual line of exasperation or even in its occasional smirk of rich enthusiasm, but pulled back in a wholly unfamiliar smirk that pronounced arrogance and vindictive pleasure.  
  
_This-- isn't the weird lost soul thing Kale was going on about, is it?_ Sanji thought, disblievingly staring at her, and steeled himself to demand, though his tones sank from forceful to pleading,  
  
"Where's-- where's Nami-san?"  
  
"Killing herself somewhere in me," She replied, giving a small shrug, "I honestly don't know."  
  
Sanji tried to understand this. _Nami-san is gone. This isn't her, but it's... it's her body. So I can't hurt her, no matter what. But-- but how do I bring her back?_  
  
"Sanji-kun." Sanji's head snapped up, his eyes widening, but his heart plummeted as he saw her mocking eyes and smirk before she laughed and sent him rolling onto the ground again with the bed-frame.  
  
"Nami-san," Sanji called again, and she let out an ear-piercing screech of laughter.  
  
"Give it up, pretty-boy! She's gone!"  
  
With a cutting blow to his shoulder, Sanji felt it dislocate with an unpleasantly fleshy-sounding crack. The motorcyclers cheered as she kicked him unceremoniously, and Sanji bit his lip down hard to keep the pain from rising up his throat.  
  
"She's not gone," He rasped, staring at her straight in the eyes and searching frantically, but she only laughed with that unrecognisable pitch once more.  
  
_Nami-san's not gone. I know it._ Sanji fought hard to keep himself from crumbling; pain was exploding in every nerve in his shoulder, and he felt as though he was going to collapse from all the pain. But he couldn't allow himself to do that; not until he got her back again. _Because you're all I have.  
  
Because in this world, I only have two sources of true comfort. This life, my first years were painful. I was a runaway. I didn't belong anywhere. I felt I didn't have a place anywhere or for anything. But when I took up a job cooking... that was my only comfort. Because it felt... it felt right. And after so much of feeling like I was in the wrong place, I finally felt I found a home. Even if it was just cooking, it was something I felt in line with.  
  
But I still felt a constant unhappiness.. something that told me that despite cooking, there was still something wrong. Something didn't fit. I would wake up from dreams I couldn't remember, and always feel something just out of reach. It was infuriating, painful... draining. I didn't know what it was, and I thought I'd never know. So my only form of comfort became cooking, see. Because it was only when I was cooking when I felt closest to that something.  
  
And then I became a model. I had a desire to go to university, so I was willing to get the money to go to one. But what I didn't realise was that it would mean the sacrifice of my only contentment. Once I became a model, I couldn't cook in kitchens with white tiles, delicious scents or crisp white aprons. All of these things became impossible once I became famous.  
  
I hate that word now. Because of fame, I confined myself to cooking at the dorm. But it was never the same. I could never reach that same level, that same closeness to fulfilling the indefinable emptiness in me. I thought all was lost; that I wouldn't be able to find what I was missing, to find what it was I was looking for.  
  
And then, I saw you. I don't know if you remember, Nami-san, but I was looking for a book to write an analysis for Literature in the GLU library. I sat down with a random one, opened it, and looked across the table and saw you. And though it was only for an instant, I felt completely at peace, at ease. There was just something so-- so warming about the way you were smiling with Vivi-chan, and I couldn't stop staring. Not only are you beautiful, see, but you radiate something so wonderful I can't describe just how fulfilled and satisfied I feel when I just **look** at you.  
  
But you took one look at me, and you immediately had this-- this look of pain, of guilt. And you avoided me in corridors, in the library, at the kiosk and canteen. Just getting to know your name was hard enough. I didn't know why you were so determined to not look at me, but I was determined to know you. Because being near you was enough to make me gratified.  
  
There's just something about you, Nami-san... and you became someone just so much more important than cooking, or modelling, or even living. It was like this even before in our past life, remember? That was why I died in your place. You were, and are that important to me.  
  
Once I discovered others that felt the way I did, my emptiness filled. But there is still an emptiness. It probably has to do with not being in the dimension we belong in, but I also know it has to do with you, Nami-san. All the times you pushed me away, I would always try and run back to you. And when I couldn't help you, I'd feel torn and helpless. So this emptiness I still sense deep in me-- it has to be you, Nami-san.  
  
Because... I-- I feel so selfish and narrow-minded to admit this, but truth be told, I realised what I was still missing. It was you. I realise now that being near you, simply being able to see you-- it just isn't enough. I want to be able to help you, and I want you to know that I care for you. And if I can't have that-- I think I might go crazy.  
  
I was scared, Nami-san. I was scared I wouldn't be enough, scared I might do something wrong. But now, I realise I don't care. And I shouldn't have to care, because even-- even if my entire life isn't enough for you... I care too much to not do anything at all.  
  
I'm not asking for you to care for me too. I just want you to know you're not alone. I'm just as lost as you are, and I want you to know that not just me, but everybody is here for you, so you can't feel alone. You don't deserve to feel alone.  
  
So you see, Nami-san, you can't be gone._  
  
Gritting his teeth, Sanji gripped his shoulder tightly. He shut his eyes tightly, and with a stifled grunt of pain, he twisted his shoulder back into its socket. Everyone let out a sharp inhalement of surprise, but the model was concentrating on her. She was looking at him indifferently, now wearing less of a smirk but more of a merely bored look.  
  
_Nami-san, if you were truly gone, it's-- it's just... it wouldn't be fair. At all._  
  
Sanji's eyes flashed with pure determination as he strode over to her, and caught her wrist as she tried to land a sharp blow to the head. She let out a cry of pain as he twisted the metal out of her hand with a sharp jerk.  
  
_It wouldn't be fair to neither you or me._  
  
"Get out of her." Sanji growled. She looked up at him in a mixture of anger and defiance.  
  
"This is my body now!" She shrieked, trying to twist herself out of his grip, but he grabbed her shoulders and shouted, demanding,  
  
"_GET OUT OF HER!!_"  
  
She opened her mouth angrily, her eyes blazing, obviously prepared to scream something else, when something stopped her. Something in her jolted, and she let out a short cry of shock before letting out a screech of searing pain.  
  
Sanji was looking at her, startled, when she opened her eyes. And the moment he looked into them, their eyes locked. The crowd of motorcyclers stared as the blonde held onto the girl tightly, staring into her blank eyes with empty eyes of his own.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Look, I'm not a liar!" Zoro said exasperatedly, "I'm a swordsman, not a kung-fu or karate or whatever guy!"  
  
"Sure," Tashigi said sarcastically, "First you say you're no swordsman after beating the crap out of a bunch of people like one. Then you say you're no martial artist after beating the crap out of another bunch of people like one."  
  
Zoro looked like he was about to explode from the mixture of pure irritation, exasperation and frustration in his expression. Tashigi couldn't help but notice that despite her accusations, it did seem like Zoro was telling the truth.  
  
His strength was unfathomable, and Tashigi wasn't sure whether or not to continue questioning it. He didn't look at all tired from his ordeal with Arlong, but she was still smarting painfully not just from the black-haired guy, but from Jenna's group, too. Her wrists hurt and her entire body ached, but she was forcing herself to follow Zoro's pace.  
  
How could he keep running so fast? She was extremely curious as to what Zoro Roronoah was truly capable of, as she had been in her previous life, too. Did he have any flaws? _Well, he's strong,_ Tashigi mused to herself, _but he's no genius in emotional quotient or people skills..._ Noticing he'd been silent for quite a while, Tashigi repeated, "Liar."  
  
Letting out a noise of frustration he snapped, "That wasn't martial arts!"  
  
"Then what was it?" Tashigi asked, scowling, and as he turned a corner before her, he replied,  
  
"It was random beat-the-crap-out!"  
  
"What the heck is random beat-the-crap-out?!!" Tashigi began to exclaim, when she smacked into Zoro's back for the second time that day as she turned the corner.  
  
"Ouch," She muttered, and Zoro said in a light voice,  
  
"We've got company."  
  
  
  
  
  
It was gradual. Bit by bit, the darkness was swallowing her. Soon, it would dissolve her into nothing, and Nami knew she was quite prepared to welcome non-existence. The inky blackness felt cool and assuring, and she was ready to meld into it.  
  
Forget her pain and suffering and all the rest of it. She didn't want it anymore. She'd never been strong enough for this kind of thing, and she wanted to get rid of it. Her soul was somewhere close, and she thought she could distantly listen to its soft sobs, but she didn't care.  
  
_This is why I didn't want to let Sanji know me,_ She thought briefly with an empty smile, _I didn't want him to know this selfish side of me..._  
  
She felt herself sink lower into nothingness, and felt it swirl around her, grab at her with icy fingers. She was about to let go of thought altogether, when she heard him.  
  
_GET OUT OF HER!!_  
  
A pain proliferated and infiltrated the cold darkness, and a fire of pain exploded from deep within her. The enveloping of the darkness shuddered to a halt as she let out a sharp cry, and she heard quite plainly her own soul call out desperately, _Sanji-kun!!_  
  
Alvida's ear-piercing, pained scream practically shattered Nami's nerves; she forced herself to open her eyes, and saw Alvida's soul staggering towards her, wading through the darkness on her short stubby legs.  
  
_You gave yourself to me! What are you doing?!_ She shrieked, her small piggy eyes ablaze with anger. Nami's soul let out a snort of indignance.  
  
_You're the one who took advantage of my confusion. Once I can fully accept who I am, I'm out of this stupid darkness. You can forget taking this body, you fatso!_  
  
Quivering with rage, Alvida stumbled over. Her rage seemed to be solidifying the gloom, and Nami found it no long just darkness, but an ice-cold liquid that seeped into her bones, choking her.  
  
_NO ONE DEFIES ME, AND NO MEASLY LITTLE GIRL'S SOUL WILL, EITHER!!_ She screamed, her eyes positively bulging, and Nami's soul screamed back,  
  
_Well, this soul WILL!!_  
  
Then another voice echoed through the darkness.  
  
_Nami-san!! Where are you?!_  
  
She instinctively turned, and her eyes rounded in surprise. Sanji was wading through the murkiness, looking desperately for her. He looked straight at her, but he didn't seem to be able to see her.  
  
_Nami-san?!_  
  
_I'm here!_ Nami shouted, anger edging her voice, _What are you doing here? Get out!_ Sanji made no reaction whatsoever, his eyes searching through the gloom.  
  
_Nami-san?!!_ He called out again, and Nami's voice sounded, but this time, this was of her soul's voice.  
  
_Sanji-kun, I'm here! I'm over here!_ To Nami's immense shock, Sanji immediately turned to the voice and saw her soul.  
  
_Nami-san! Hold on, I'll get you out!_ What was going on?! Nami stared as the blonde tumulted through the black, squinting at her soul. Why on earth couldn't he see her?!  
  
The darkness grew raucous as Alvida let out a wretched screech, and giving a scared look, Nami's soul was devoured by the inky black. _NO!!_ Sanji yelled, and dived down into the dark. Alvida began to laugh horribly, watching with glee, and Nami stared at where Sanji had dived. Then she slid into the murkiness after him.  
  
She could see her soul, sinking deeper into the depths of the darkness. However, she was starting to fade out of sight. Nami knew immediately it was because her soul was far too weak to withstand the high pressure the darkness was giving. The gloom was ready to properly dissolve her away, and her soul was fighting a losing battle. Nami, however, had the strength to kick down.  
  
She saw the blonde look desperately around for her soul, and catching sight of her fading colour he kicked hard after her. But he saw her luminance ebbing away, and he let out a desperate, muffled shout.  
  
_NAMI-SAN!_ Nami swam close to Sanji, right into his vision, but he saw right past her.  
  
_Why can't he see me?!_ She thought confusedly, and he swam right through her, as though she were air. _Wha--?!_  
  
Then it hit her. _He can't see me because he only sees my soul! Of course. Because she's the one he knows.  
  
I'm the one who doesn't understand everything, the one that is denying everything. I'm the strength my soul needs, but because of my denial, my soul hasn't got it. My soul knows what the suffering is for, what it's like. I was scared... too afraid to find what this was all for. It was so strange, so empowering... the sudden twist of logic and reality completely overthrew me. Maybe because that's who I am. I'm the stability of the Going Merry, after all..._  
  
This thought stunned Nami for a split second. _Deep down, I know who I am._  
  
She watched Sanji fight back despair as her soul began to flicker out of sight. _Nami-san!!_  
  
_I... guess I'm just afraid to accept the fact that I... I really had all these people. Who all care about me. Especially Sanji-kun... I don't believe I deserve to be liked this much. I really don't... especially if it's because of who I used to be... and in my last life, I was alone for so long, I always just took Sanji for granted... and when he died for me... I don't believe I'm worth his life.  
  
Because maybe... just maybe... this emptiness still within me has nothing to do with disgust or hatred at Sanji-kun or the fact I have another life to go back to. Maybe it's the fear that I'm not worth anything at all... so I'm not worthy to be living.  
  
But maybe... just maybe... I'm supposed to live up to what other people. Maybe I should try to start being someone worthwhile saving, someone actually worth liking... because people believe I deserve to be someone like that. But even so, what I can't?  
  
Perhaps that's what the fear is... that I won't be able to do what others expect of me. Luffy wanted me to stand up and be strong. Zoro wanted me to be someone trustworthy. Usopp wanted me to be someone he could depend on as a friend, and Sanji-kun just... just wants me to be me. But I didn't succeed in any of those things, did I? I became weak. I crumbled when everyone needed me. And now I'm not even myself because of my denial.  
  
So is this fear... a part of me that afraid to face everyone because I've failed to live up to their expectations?_ Nami stopped kicking after Sanji, staring at her soul in shock. _Then why is my soul so determined to return? What does my soul understand that I don't? How did my soul survive after that ordeal with Arlong, when I betrayed everyone?_  
  
Her soul disappeared from sight, and Sanji let out a choked cry. Nami saw, to her immense shock, tears fall from his eyes. _ Don't give up!!_ He yelled, his voice breaking as he searched for her desperately, _Please don't give up! I'm not giving up, so come back, Nami-san, please--_  
  
He roughly wiped away at his eyes before shouting, _You can't be gone! It doesn't make sense if you're gone!!_ Sanji stopped swimming, floating in the darkness as he stared after the gloom, and his expression grew listless. He gave a dry sob. _Nami-san._  
  
_Sanji-kun, I'm right next to you!_ Nami called out frantically, but Sanji put his head in his hands. There seemed to be a powerful grief that was overwhelming him as he whispered,  
  
_Nami-san..._  
  
Nami stared at him, unsure of what to do. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't let Sanji stay. She saw the darkness was rather attracted to Sanji's grief, and felt a rising panic in her as she realised Sanji's soul might be devoured if he didn't do something quick.  
  
_Sanji-kun!!_ She screamed, but he made no move. Instead, he began to mumble.  
  
_You can't be gone, damn it. I didn't get to tell you anything. I didn't get to make you know, make you understand..._ He shook his head sharply as he said angrily, _I didn't get to tell you that even if you-- if you're unsure, or you're afraid-- or even-- even if you fail, or you disappoint-- it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, damn it! Because you're not alone!_  
  
He suddenly gnashed his teeth together as he shouted into the darkness, _We're here for you no matter what! Remember you're our partner, and we're not letting you go no matter what stupid mistakes you make! We don't care because you're Nami, don't you get it?!_  
  
Nami stared at him, her mouth slightly open. _He didn't use a suffix._  
  
_Nami..._ He looked at the blackness, despaired, but Nami had heard what she had needed to hear. And she swam through, kicking powerful past the darkness, and groping through the murkiness she found her soul's arm, and yanked it towards her.  
  
_I'm ready to become myself again! I know who I am now, okay?!_ Nami cried out, and her soul's eyes opened before smiling at Nami.   
  
_I took long enough._ And taking Nami's hand, there was a sharp flash of light and Nami was her soul again. Determined, Nami looked up through the gloom, and saw to her horror the darkness extending its inky tendrils towards Sanji, who was now staring listlessly into space.  
  
_SANJI-KUN!!_ Nami screamed. His head jerked as he looked around, looking confused, and she kicked up, escaping the icy hands of the gloom. He saw her, and his eyes widened as he looked overjoyed.  
  
_Nami-san!!_ He exclaimed, and she grabbed his outstretched hand.  
  
  
  
  
  
Rendel skid to a stop before a derelict building, panting heavily.  
  
_ That's strange... the Angel Vibes are so strong now, but this place is completely empty..._  
  
Then she heard an excited shout, and a bunch of fearful cries of pain somewhere above. Jerking her eyes upwards, she noticed a commotion on the rooftop of the building beside the warehouse. The Angel Vibes were strongest there.  
  
"Kale, what are you doing up there...?" She muttered as she entered the building, and kicking the fire escape entrance open, she began to ascend the staircase leading to the roof.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sanji opened his eyes as Nami did, and she immediately stumbled away from his lack grip, clutching at her head.  
  
"No! Stop it, stop it-- don't eject me, this is now my body, I--" She shook her head roughly, before she suddenly said loudly and clearly, "My soul's back now, so GET OUT OF ME!!"  
  
Sanji saw the motorcyclers stare at each other, clearly confused, and took the chance to take them out as Nami began to regain control of her body. The multitude of bruises he had were not helping, but he felt energised. He easily kicked them into each other, swiftly dodging knives and batons, and slammed most of them into the ground, rendering them to an unconcious state.  
  
He had just round-housed the last of them out of the way, when he turned around to see how Nami was doing, He gasped. Buggy's eyesbrow was twitching as he advanced at Nami with a long bladed knife in his hand, tightly clutching the handle in his gloved fingers. Hoping he wasn't too late, Sanji began to run towards them.  
  
"GET OUT!!" Nami shouted, and with a cold, icy chill she finally got rid the darkness that had been plaguing her moments before, and extricated the snivelling soul completely. Nami gave a short shudder before opening her eyes, feeling refreshed.  
  
"Sanji-kun, I'm back!" She sang out cheerfully, turning around, and then stopped short as she saw Buggy's large red nose looming towards her, a dangerous smile at his lips as the blade glinted.  
  
"Welcome back, bitch," He hissed, and Nami's eyes darted to Sanji. Their eyes met, and without thinking twice, Nami ducked. Sanji called out,  
  
"Oy, big fat red nose!!"  
  
Buggy turned around angrily, opening his mouth to demand who had called him such a thing, and instead for a mouthful of Sanji's shoe heel. Buggy was thrown over Nami with enough force for him to hit the garage wall ten metres away.  
  
"Nami-san, are you okay?!" Sanji asked worriedly, extending a hand, and Nami took it easily. Standing up properly, Nami smiled.  
  
"Yeah, I'm back."  
  
"Oh, what a relief! For a moment I thought you were going to go away or something. Really stupid of me, isn't it?" He gave her a sweet smile as he gave a nervous sort of chuckle. She looked at him thoughtfully, and struck by the unfamiliar, searching gaze her eyes held, Sanji went on, "That is, er, when I saw all that black goop, I thought you were really going to get sucked into it or something! So it's not _you_ who I was worried about, it was the black stuff!"  
  
He grinned at her, then frowned. "No, wait, that sounds wrong. I mean, I was worried about _you_, but I wasn't worried about whether or not you'd come back, I mean, I _was_, but it was the black stuff--"  
  
He looked at where she'd been standing, and blinked to find she was gone.  
  
"Nami-san?!" He shouted, and she grabbed his ear from behind. He let out a cry of agony as she yelled angrily,  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME I WAS WEARING LEATHER?!!"  
  
"Er-- you look very sexy in it?" He tried hopefully. Glaring at him, she twisted his ear before walking off down the pavement. Sanji managed to blink the stars clouding his vision away before hurrying after her.  
  
"Nami-saaaan, don't leave me alone!" He whined, and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Like you wouldn't follow me. So how'd you know where I was?"  
  
Sanji's eyes brightened as he started to explain, when he stopped short, remembering a start. "Nami-san, I nearly forgot! Kale is missing."  
  
Nami stopped walking to stare at him. "Luffy?!"  
  
"Yeah, and I don't know where he went. He got kidnapped."  
  
"_Kidnapped?!!_ But-- but who would--?!"  
  
"I don't know, Nami-san, honestly! Might have been those motorcyclers though... uhm, for revenge and everything. They're the ones who crashed the dinner-dance. Zoro is looking for him too, and some angel is looking as well, so..."  
  
Nami raised an eyebrow before sighing.  
  
"I guess we have no choice but to head back to GLU, then, huh?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They lapsed into a short silence before Nami suddenly slid her hand into Sanji's. He nearly stopped walking, his eyes widening as his breathing system seemed to malfunction. Her fingers tightened warmly around Sanji's, and she asked casually, "So tell me how you knew where I was."  
  
"Oh, er, uhm..." Sanji swallowed, loosening his collar with his other hand, and steeled himself to pretend he was not holding Nami's hand as he began to speak in a ridiculous squeak. It was a while before he was speaking in his usual chatter.  
  
Occupied in trying to hide the fact he was so nervous, he didn't notice Nami blush pleasantly, giggling silently at his extreme shyness.  
  
  
  
  
  
A crowd of people were pooling from alleyways into the pavement Zoro and Tashigi were on. The two turned, only to find they were completely surrounded.  
  
There was something peculiar about these people, however. They looked like the gang Zoro had just beaten up back at the building and from the park, but whereas some looked devillishly alert and bright, other people had eyes that looked empty, their mouths all sagging open and their movements slightly sluggish.  
  
What was the main problem, however, was that every step they took seemed to make the ground vibrate, some of them causing cracks in the concrete. Tashigi licked her lips nervously.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"How am I supposed to know?! They looked hypnotised by the looks of it," Zoro muttered, thinking back to the incident in Usopp's village, and he realised they were closing in.  
  
Clammy hands clamped onto his hands, twisting them back with enormous strength; he head-butted the one who had grabbed him, but another hand grabbed him, and another, and another... Their hands were horribly cold, their breath icy and shuddering. Some of them were smiling almost derangedly, many of them starting to giggle in a hiccupy sort of manner, their eyes rolling and their hands grappling blindly.  
  
Thoroughly creeped out, Zoro tried to throw them off, struggling, and they began to let out piercing wails and shrieks. They sounded frighteningly excited, and the green-head let out a cross between a gurgle and a yell as they began to tear at him. He heard his shirt rip, and trying to see through the sallow-skinned people, he caught sight of Tashigi trying to fight them off.  
  
Several of them had their hands clutching her throat; she was choking and kicking as hard as she could to no avail.  
  
"Tashigi!!" Zoro managed to shout, and she tried to look at him, but she was completely distracted as someone tore her jacket off. Zoro angrily jabbed at someone's face; he felt teeth crack and managed to get out of their grip long enough to see Tashigi be completely swallowed by a bunch of people grabbing at her.  
  
"HEY!!" Zoro yelled, "Get off her!!" Their faces turned to him, and Zoro noticed how terribly pale they all looked, some of them chewing their tongues and some of them smiling twistedly, some laughing in weird pitches and others simply staring at him gormlessly. _Are they all zombies or something?!!_  
  
"Tashigi!!" He shouted again, and he tore through the mob of people, recklessly jabbing aimlessly as their cold and clammy hands grabbed at him. Finally, Zoro reached where he had seen Tashigi disappear, and threw the person strangling Tashigi off her. She let out a wheezy gasp as Zoro pulled her up, but he was suddenly pulled back with a powerful, pincer-like force at the small of his back. Twisting around, Zoro found three of them grabbing at him, their eyes haunting and empty as they gripped at his shirt.  
  
He heard Tashigi scream before it was suddenly stifled, and turning sharply to look, his eyes widened, his jaw dropped. A person had grabbed Tashigi and his hand was plunged into her heart. There was no blood, however; it was as though she were made out of water, and he was simply reaching a hand into her. Tashigi began to struggle, making painful gasping noises as she tried to get away from the hand, but other cold hands were all over her arms and legs, twisting them out of the way.  
  
Zoro stared as the hand suddenly wrenched something invisible out of her. She looked completely unscathed, the only thing torn being her shirt, but her eyes were expressionless. Blood was rapidly draining out of her face, and without warning, her eyes rolled back before she slumped over. The people seemed to be getting excited all over again, and screeching and laughing they grabbed at Zoro's arms and legs.  
  
"What the hell?!" Zoro yelled, struggling mightily, but someone was standing before him, brandishing a hand and smiling eerily.  
  
Suddenly, all the people began screaming. Letting go of Zoro, they clutched and clawed at themselves, shrieking in agony, before crumpling to the ground in unison. One of them was still stumbling about, however, panting heavily. It let out a long shriek, and Zoro thought he heard something like glass breaking; it let out another drawn-out screech before turning abruptly and bounding off. Stunned, it took Zoro a few seconds to realise the person was clutching a torn half of Tashigi's jacket. _He's the one who stuck his hand in her._  
  
Before he could properly process this information, he sensed presence behind him. Scrambling to his feet, he jerked himself round to find two people standing, both breathing heavily as they made their way towards Zoro.  
  
"You okay?" One of them asked, panting slightly as he brushed sandy hair off his forehead.  
  
"Er... yeah." Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow. The other one had a long braid of sky blue, and she was inspecting Tashigi as she spoke, not addressing her companion but Zoro.  
  
"Demons got cut loose from the dimension Valandi Kriquelleif got banished to. Possessed a load of people here."  
  
Zoro looked at them blankly before letting the light dawn on him. "You're angels?" He asked, and the other two nodded.  
  
"Archangels. Dispatched from God Himself." They replied. The sandy-haired one was now heading towards Tashigi, and Zoro followed, trudging through the sea of people with slight difficulty as he asked,  
  
"So what were they trying to do to us? Make us demon-posessed too?"  
  
"Er, not exactly. They tried to kill you by sucking out your souls. Since Valandi Kriquelleif wants to destroy God's plans, he's after all the souls that were sent to different planets and dimensions. You know, all the souls from the worlds he managed to destroy before God banished him."  
  
"Solare, I think they took this one."  
  
There was something a bit too serious and ominous about the way she said it, and Zoro felt as though she'd pronounced sleeping was now a sin. Solare, the sandy-haired one, jerked as though he'd been electrocuted. "Are you serious, Luce?"  
  
"Yeah," She said quietly, looking up sadly, "they took her soul."  
  
"Wait a minute. What're you talking about?" Zoro asked, feeling a sense of some unexplainable dread creep up his spine, and both Archangels surveyed at him with irritatingly pitying looks.  
  
"One of the demons took her soul out." Luce said sympathetically, "She's living, but she's empty. There's nothing in her. She can only sustain herself for a couple of minutes or so physically-- as in, she'll physically die soon from the lack of a soul." Zoro tried to understand this as Luce set a sympathetic hand against his shoulder, saying softly, "I express my sincere condolen--"  
  
"Hang on." Zoro shoved the girl's hand off as his eyes narrowed, and he demanded, "Are you saying there's nothing you can do to get her soul back?" And though he hated himself for it, he instantly thought, _God, don't do this to me again._  
  
"It's sort of complicated," Luce said hesitantly, "Demons have this ability to remove souls from any body - human or not. Some Demons have vortexes where humans might have stomachs - vortexes that drag souls to places Hellish or just plain Empty."  
  
Zoro sank down next to Tashigi, peering at her pale features and shallow breathing as he said quietly, "You mean a Demon just snatched her soul away? Whisked it to Never Never land, just like that?"  
  
Solare huffed out his sandy fringe loudly, distracting the swordsman temporarily. _God, give me patience!_ Solare prayed before looking disapprovingly at Zoro. "You're a mighty cheerful one, aren't you? Some Demons don't have vortexes residing in their stomachs. Those things only develop when they're old enough."  
  
"What took this human's soul was a low-level Demon," Luce said softly, pressing her hand over Tashigi's forehead. She let out a low sigh as she whispered, "And even if we Archangels were blessed with Godspeed, - which I'm afraid we aren't - we have other missions to accomplish in the short time we're here."  
  
The two Archangels rose to their feet and looked sorrowfully at Tashigi's fallen form before turning gravely to Zoro with the simple words, "We're sorry." Both Archangels started to turn around, and Zoro could see the translucent glow of powdery-white wings spreading from their back. A sudden urgency gripped him, and he called out - not recognising the desperacy tainting his voice -  
  
"Wait! Is that it? Is there nothing you can do?!"  
  
The Archangels glanced at him. Luce quietly stated, "I am serious when I tell you we haven't time to spare. Please don't keep us any longer... people die all the time. We have to go to prevent more of these deaths. Besides, death is simply another step mortals need to take."  
  
"Yeah, but I'd rather this girl take that step when she's ready for it!!" Zoro snapped, but feeling himself flush unnaturally, he paused to check himself before continuing in a slightly calmer voice: "Besides, I don't mean you angels have to go. I'll go get her soul back. Just tell me how." Luce blinked in surprise, then looked at Solare for help. Solare scratched his head, sighing inwardly.  
  
_Some humans just don't know when to give up... but I guess that's what God loves about them._ He suppressed a grimace as he thought, _ I suppose stubbornness is another attribute God considers blessed._ Bracing himself, Solare decided to cut the chase and tell it bluntly.  
  
"Listen. She's an empty vessel, and empty vessels don't last without an occupier. Human bodies just can't last that long with a soul to fill themselves; this girl's only got a few minutes before she dies! It's not like you could retrieve her soul from the Demon within the next five minutes. Even if you had the rest of the day I doubt ordinary mortal strength could match that of a high-level Demon's."  
  
Zoro frowned. "I thought you said the Demon was a low-level one."  
  
"Well, yes - but that low-level Demon's gone off to find a high-level one with a vortex for a stomach. If the Demon can't do it itself, it has to go get another one to do it, you see. Especially now, since they're under Valandi Kriquelleif's command to take all souls down to hell."  
  
"High or low level Demon, I don't give a damn, to tell you the truth. I'm no ordinary human."  
  
The Archangels exchanged glances that clearly stated, _is this boy bananas?_ Zoro wondered for a second if he _was_ bananas; sure, he liked a challenge, but even he had his doubts on whether it was wise to try to physically pound what could be classified as the meta-physical. But Zoro knew also that he prized his relationships with other people more than himself most of the time, especially when it came to protecting.  
  
Because he had failed to protect someone before... he just couldn't afford to lose another one again. _Especially another her._ Knocking himself mentally for that last thought, he steeled himself to continue talking.  
  
"Can't you let her live a little longer? Stall for time?"  
  
"If-- well, if one of us is compatible with her, we can sustain her for an hour or two." Luce said hesitantly. _One shot out of a million._  
  
"Could you check it out?" Zoro asked, and Solare sighed.  
  
"Fine, let's see what we can do here. Every mortal life does count."  
  
Luce was already kneeling next to Tashigi. Taking her hand and closing her eyes, she shone a radiant white glow before dropping Tashigi's hand and heaving a sad sigh. "No where near compatible," Luce said, though Zoro noted there wasn't an ounce of surprise in her voice. Solare sat down across Luce and took Tashigi's other hand. He too, shone brightly for a short moment before opening his eyes to meet Zoro's.  
  
Zoro's hope was shot down as Solare said in a sincere voice, "I'm sorry. I'm not compatible either."  
  
"Is there no way, then?" Zoro asked quietly. Both Luce and Solare gave Zoro understanding looks.  
  
"Look, the only way we could sustain her is if we could find a compatible soul or Angel within vicinity in the next... what... three minutes or so." Solare said, shaking his head. "This sort of thing... just sort of happens, I guess. Loss happens all the time."  
  
"You'd better go find Kale." Luce said softly, and with that, the two Archangels began to spread their wings once more. Zoro stared after them for a moment, then brought himself to sit down beside Tashigi.  
  
She looked so pale. Zoro bit his lip, looking at her breathing shallowly. He tried to ignore the fact the centre of her shirt had been torn open, and spying the other half of her torn jacket nearby, he slid it out of the person's loose grasp and draped it over her chest. Zoro noticed her glasses were severely cracked, and he slid them off, setting it next to her head.  
  
Geez. Just moments ago, she'd been so bloody alive-- running aside him and snapping accusation, fighting against Kuroobi, crashing into him back at the staircase... Zoro tried not to think about the particular moment; scene-- whatever you wanted to call it. Zoro swallowed, looking at her. She looked so vunerable, it wasn't funny.  
  
_Damn it..._ Zoro gripped his hair with his hands, squeezing his eyes shut. _I was just starting to understand her... she was just starting to be more confident in herself... so why...?_ His eyes flickered across her features, and he swallowed again. _She looks so much like Kuina, too... and I swear that isn't helping anything..._  
  
_Loss happens all the time... it's not like I don't know that. Losing someone once is bad enough, though, isn't it? To meet someone -- even if she is an insult to my promises -- to meet someone aspiring to the same goals Kuina couldn't accomplish... only to lose her again. God, are you some sort of sadist?_  
  
But that train of thought grinded to a halt before a warp of endless and pointless angsting, so Zoro backed up and tried to think practically. But everything met dead ends.  
  
Letting out a frustrated growl, Zoro scruffed his hair up with his fingers. _Damn it! Even if I catch up to that Demon with the other half of her jacket, those angels said I'd never make it back in time to give the body back its soul. So the problem here is time... wait... what if my soul is compatible with hers? No that doesn't work, I can't give her **my** soul because then **I** couldn't move, damn it, damn it, damn it!! There has to be a way--_ Then his jaw dropped open. _Of course!! Why didn't I think of this earlier?!_  
  
Bolting up, Zoro sprinted around the corner, and felt relief sweep through him as he spotted the sky-blue plait and sandy hair amidst the beating pairs of white wings. "Wait! Archangels!! Wait up!!"  
  
Luce and Solare spun around, surprised, as Zoro yelled up at them, "Come back down!!"  
  
"What is it?" Solare asked, looking concerned as he sank back down to the ground.  
  
"I have a soul in me!" Zoro shouted. Luce had just followed suit of Solare when he said this, and she raised a brow sceptically.  
  
"Uhm, we know that." She began, when Zoro interrupted irritably,  
  
"No, no, that's not what I mean!" Taking a deep breath, Zoro said slowly and clearly, "I have another soul in me. As in, there are two souls in my body." This time, the glances Luce and Solare gave each other were looks of surprise and curiousity.  
  
As their eyes drew back to Zoro's panting form, he stated, "This other soul in me-- she's definitely compatible with Tashigi."  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N: Ano... uhm... do you all hate me? ;_;**   



	51. Losing Her Twice

  
  
Krow's ugly look suddenly twisted into an eerie smirk, his eyes flitting over Kaya and Usopp in a fashion that indicated he was scanning them thoroughly.  
  
"Give it up, Krow!" Usopp snarled, and Krow let out a sharp laugh that obviously startled Kaya. Usopp quickly tightened his grip over Kaya's slackening fingers, and glared at Krow as the man slid his glasses higher with his palm.  
  
"Interesting development," Krow hissed, and didn't flinch a muscle when Usopp quite abruptly aimed and pulled the trigger. Kaya let out a stifled scream as the gunshot rang throughout the mansion, the bullet imbedding itself between Krow's shoes.  
  
"I said, give it up." Usopp repeated, his eyes narrowing. Krow only smirked, and suddenly dropped his standing stance. His shoulders hunched, his neck sagging so his chin hit his collar-bone. The blades trailed across the pine floor as his arms dropped down his sides.  
  
_What is he playing at?!_ Usopp thought frantically, but before he could think of something to distract Krow, Krow spoke first out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
"**Destruction.**"  
  
And without warning, Krow disappeared. Kaya jerked, startled, into Usopp, her eyes darting around and wide from shock and fear, when the staircase banister suddenly exploded in an eruption of polished-wood splinters. The ground trembled, and the next second a glass cabinet several metres away shattered with an ear-piercing screech.  
  
Instinctively, Usopp let go of Kaya's hands to cover her properly with his own body, clutching her shoulders tightly in effort to not show his own fear. Kaya squeezed her eyes shut, trying hard not to scream when she heard the noise of exploding wood growing nearer.  
  
The engineer grit his teeth, looking around over the top of Kaya's head to see walls being torn up violently. _Damn it, his attacks are random!! I don't know where the hell he's coming from, and--_ He breathed in deeply, trying to keep himself calm. _The point is that we've got to get out of this house somehow. Or at least, Kaya's got to get out of here--_  
  
The abrupt pain that seared through his left leg made Usopp yell, and Kaya's eyes widened as she saw his blood splatter onto the pine-wood. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but just for a brief second, she thought she heard a low, menacing chuckle that slicked a chill up her spine.  
  
_His target is me,_ Kaya thought, forcing her fingers on Usopp's shirt to loosen, _If I let Usopp-san protect me this way, he's going to get hurt, too. I'm not going to let that happen._  
  
Pushing away from Usopp suddenly, Kaya stumbled towards the semi-dilipidated staircase. The gun clattered towards the front-door.  
  
"KAYA!!" Usopp shouted, but she continued to fumble her way up the staircase. _Argh! If she's going to run, she's got to run towards the back-door I kicked open, not upstairs of all places!!_  
  
Distracted, Usopp was completely caught off guard when a blade slid cleanly through his right leg. Crying out in pain, he jerked himself away, and felt an unpleasant ooze of blood rush out of his legs as he did so. He collapsed onto the floor on his own legs as Krow loomed over him, grinning triumphantly as his dark eyes glittered.  
  
"Can't run now, can you." Krow murmured, and he kicked Usopp harshly in the stomach to send him crashing into a marble side-table. The flowers and vase broke in a shower of water and porcelain, and Usopp bit his lip to stop yelping when a piece of porcelain stuck into his palm as he scrambled to get up. His bleeding legs proved unyielding, however, and he struggled to try and just move away from Krow.  
  
"Perhaps this will teach you to keep that long nose of yours out of my business--" Krow began darkly, when he let out a sharp exhalement of surprise. Looking down, Usopp saw Merii, bleeding profusely from the mouth and nose, clutching one of Krow's legs with all his might.  
  
"Merii!!" Kaya gasped from her stand on the second landing, and Merii choked out,  
  
"Get out, Miss Kaya! GET OUT!!"  
  
Krow kicked Merii in the jaw, forcing him off his leg, and turned his leering smirk to Kaya's frightened eyes. "You don't think you can run, do you, Kaya?"  
  
However, Krow was pulled down suddenly as Merii wound his limp and fractured arms tightly around Krow's legs to send him crashing to the ground. Krow's eyes flashed angrily. Merii was kicked heavily in the ribs, a crack ringing the air that mingled with Merii's blood-filled coughs. Jerking his head to the side, Krow's eyes narrowed as he found the actress gone from sight once again.  
  
As he bolted up the stairs, Usopp tried to get up but failed miserably. "Don't stop running, Kaya!!" He shouted, and in response only heard Krow's retreating footsteps.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Heh. Heh."  
  
Gin raised a brow as he turned to face Don Krieg looking at the floor, his stance limp and slouched and the blood continuing to leak from his knees, but something seemed extremely strange. His eyes were rolling side to side, and his mouth drooped strangely, sagging to his chest. A thin trickle of saliva was sliding down his chin as he continued to exhale wheezily, as though he was lacking oxygen.  
  
"...Captain?" Gin asked hesitantly, his hand still set on the door knob, and then started when Krieg started to stand up. His eyes widened beneath the headband, his back hitting the door as the massive man stood up. He seemed slightly unstable, but the lack of stability seemed to have nothing to do with his knees. Turning his face to Gin, Krieg let out a series of hysterical sounding cackles.  
  
There was a short silence as Gin stared at Krieg. Then, Gin twisted the doorknob to the toolhouse. The click apparently triggered something in Krieg, because without warning, he pulled his arms up haggardly and charged at Gin at full speed. Gin fumbled with the lock and fell with a slam on his back outside the toolhouse as Krieg went soaring over him.  
  
The large man landed on the floor, scraping his temple against the concrete, but picked himself up again quickly. Blood splattered from his forehead, but Krieg's eyes still rolled as he let out a low, guttural growl that did not sound remotely human.  
  
Gin jerked himself round, his mouth open to warn Sanji at the top of his lungs, but was abruptly sent crashing to the ground. Winded and bruised, he tried to twist out from under Krieg's weight to no avail. As Gin turned his eyes to meet Krieg's defiantly, he was met with an extremely eerie and pleased look as Krieg raised a hand, as though he were about to plunge it into him.  
  
He managed to jerk himself hard enough so the hand was no longer aimed at his chest. The hand struck his forehead instead, with enough force to knock Gin out. Grinning, Krieg raised his hand once more-- only to be blasted off Gin. Rolling several feet before picking himself up again, Krieg glared at the offender, his eyes no longer rolling but a sinisterly glowing yellow. Then, without a second glance, the man turned and sprinted towards the pavement.  
  
A bubble-gum pink haired woman was lowering her foot, looking uneasily after Krieg. She bent down and checked Gin, rolling him over and checking his pulse. She looked relieved, and then said out softly, "Luce, you free now?"  
  
Far off, Luce blinked and responded, "I'm afraid I'm not. What's wrong?"  
  
"I think we've got a problem." The pink haired Angel said quietly, and she looked hesitantly at where Krieg had just stood as she murmured, "and I don't think a Silver Angel like me can cut it."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Weird," Solare muttered, looking intently into Zoro's eyes, "you really do have another soul in you."  
  
"So can you keep her alive?" Zoro asked impatiently, feeling uncomfortable at the way the Archangel was able to look straight into him. Solare nodded curtly, and looked over at his blue-haired companion.  
  
"Luce, is something up?" She nodded, looking disturbed and distracted.  
  
"Volare just told me something bad." Luce answered, her eyes clouded, and she shook her head quickly. "There isn't time for explaining. I'll transfer the soul now; Solare, you'd better hotfoot it over to Volare."  
  
Solare blinked, but he nodded. Turning to Zoro, he said sincerely, "I hope you work this all out." He pressed his palm against Zoro's shoulder as he said this, and Zoro started as he felt something warm and strong settle in the pit of his stomach before spreading to the rest of his body in a crackle of energy. Blinking, Zoro opened his mouth, unsure of what to say - but it didn't matter. With a burst of wings and a flash of white, Solare was long gone in the sky.   
  
"He must like you," Luce commented, bringing Zoro's eyes back to Tashigi, "He doesn't bless just anyone."  
  
"He blessed me?"  
  
"Yeah," Luce said lightly, "how else did you think you were going to find that Demon anyway? He gave you the ability to sense the Demon's presence."  
  
_So I guess this feeling of warmth is holiness? Dang it feels weird..._ "So... how does this work?" Zoro asked, kicking all sense of nervousness out of his voice, and Luce knelt down beside Tashigi whilst gesturing he should do the same. As the swordsman quickly sat down, Luce took his hand.  
  
"What we need to do is get you to relax," Luce said with a faint smile as Zoro raised an eyebrow at her, "because, quite unfortunately, soul extraction hurts. Even if it's not yours."  
  
Zoro nodded quickly, and Luce closed her eyes. A minute later, Zoro realised she was in prayer. Yet another minute later, Zoro noticed that Tashigi's breathing was growing softer and more shallow by the second, and he found himself wondering annoyedly, a sense of urgency hitching in his thoughts, just when on earth she'd get on with it -- when suddenly, the Archangel's eyes flicked open. Without warning, Luce picked up the hand she'd had on Zoro's, and holding his hand tightly she pushed both of their hands into him.  
  
Like an icy hand plunging into the depth of his chest, but far more deeply and painfully than any physical pain could accomplish, Zoro felt Luce's fingers searching in the confines of his soul. Then, she grabbed something that made Zoro instinctively wince. Ever so slowly, he felt _her_ soul slowly slide away from him. Unconciously, he immediately tensed and glared at Luce, but she gave him a sharp look.  
  
"Let go." She said in a commanding tone, and Zoro reluctantly forced himself to relax and felt the horrible feeling of warmth and fulfillment gushing out of him as Luce's hand drew back further and further. At last, she pulled both their hands out, gripping something invisible that Zoro could not see but sense strongly, and together their hands sank Kuina's soul into Tashigi.  
  
It took Zoro a few seconds to realise he was still clenching onto her soul and that Luce had already let go. Willing himself to let go of her, Zoro finally wrenched his hand out. Tashigi's face suddenly contorted into a mask of pain; she let out a sharp cry before she curled over onto her side, her teeth gnashing together tightly. The rush of colour back in her cheeks was immediately noticeable, though her face looked flushed in irregular patches.  
  
"What's wrong with her?!" Zoro asked, alarmed, and Luce looked relievedly back at him.  
  
"It's normal. You wouldn't like a soul invading your body, either. But it didn't kill her, and that's all that matters. Good thing you were right about them being compatible..." Luce shook her hair out of her eyes before looking at Zoro with bright blue eyes that seemed to shoot electricity right through him.  
  
"I've got to join Solare," She said quietly, "so it's now your turn to help her. She'll reject the soul in a couple of hours; after all, it isn't really hers. I only pray your claim to have surpassed average mortal strength is true."  
  
Luce started as Zoro leapt to his feet, apparently ready to dash off, and she cried, "Wait! Take the girl with you."  
  
"What for?!" Zoro exclaimed incredulously, gesturing at Tashigi's limp form and pained features, but Luce ignored him. Sliding her fingers under and picking up Tashigi as though she were a rag-doll, she handed her to Zoro, who accepted with a bewildered expression.  
  
"Don't tell me you were thinking of actually coming back here once you'd gotten her soul?" Luce asked, raising an eyebrow, and thought, _Especially since you were just about to eagerly dash into the opposite direction!_ Zoro frowned.  
  
"She's going to weigh me down! What's wrong with coming back here with her soul?" He asked frustratedly, ignoring her last remark. He decided not to mention the fact he was uncomfortable with holding up Tashigi; not that she was really all that heavy, but she was way too close for comfort. But Luce was not understanding in this case; instead, her eyes hardened as she explained coolly,  
  
"If you're serious about saving her, I suggest you take her with you because you're going to need all the time you can get. How long do you think you can hold onto a raw soul for? With mortal hands like yours, I'm afraid you can't hold a soul for longer than three seconds."  
  
Zoro bit his lip, holding back a retort as he realised this wasn't a time to protest; the Archangel looked dead serious. He sat Tashigi down abruptly, surprising Luce, but before she could demand Zoro to take Tashigi with him he had the swordswoman draped clumsily over his back. He threw her arms over his shoulders before preparing himself to dash off again, and turned around briefly just to say thanks.  
  
As he did so, the word barely escaped his lips when Luce's fingers gently brushed against his forehead and her voice said, "Good luck." He blinked; in a whisk of sky-blue hair and feathers, she too had disappeared - much like Solare had. But he didn't have time to ponder about that.  
  
Tashigi gave a sharp grunt of pain - a sharp blast of air into Zoro's ear - as he started to run, deftly skipping over fallen bodies, and Zoro muttered, "Don't worry, we'll get you back to your original soul."  
  
Zoro didn't know it, but Solare's blessing had not just been magnetism towards evil aura - it had also been of enhanced speed, so he was slowly gaining on the Demon that was clutching onto Tashigi's soul every minute.  
  
Normally, even with the speed and magnetism Zoro would have been running around in circles and thus would have never reached the Demon in time.  
  
But thankfully, Luce had blessed the green-head with a sense of direction.  
  
  
  
  
  
Something in the atmosphere shifted. Like the way some strange, dark aura seemed to have captured the S.S. Going Merry, the area suddenly seemed to have something dark and disturbing clinging to the air. Both Sanji and Nami stopped talking abruptly, and exchanging uneasy and surprised looks, they both turned behind them.  
  
A large man sporting a blue and white headband was walking haggardly towards them, and Sanji immediately recognised him as the man who had tried to take the Old Geezer's ship, and also as the man who had tried to crash the dinner dance.  
  
But Don Krieg did not look a thing like himself at the moment. His shoulders hunched tightly, as though something was screwing them tightly up, and his eyes were emitting a faint yellow glow that did not look warm at all. His lips were bared back in a strange way, baring only on side of his teeth, his jaw jutted out as he breathed noisily. A trickle of spittle ran down one side of his mouth, frothing at the corner, and his nostrils were flared. But perhaps most noticeable was his horribly pale skin... and the fact blood from pouring from his knees profusely.  
  
"Nami-san," Sanji said quietly but urgently, "Get out of the way."  
  
"Sanji-kun," She began, but he unlocked his hand from hers and held his arm before her, as though to protect her.  
  
"He seems dangerous." He said, and Nami swallowed the retort _understatement of the year!_ and instead hesitantly stepped away.  
  
Krieg suddenly lunged, letting out a shrill, piercing screech as he did so, and his fingers painfully latched onto Sanji's shoulders. His nails dug into Sanji's skin, causing him to wince as he swung his legs round to kick Krieg off him. He stood up quickly, trying to ignore the fact Krieg's fingers had torn through his shirt and skin so deeply he was starting to bleed, and his eyes widened in surprise. Krieg was hanging off the top of a lamp-post, now letting out eerie shrieks of laughter.  
  
Sanji watched him apprehensively, and suddenly, Krieg jerked his head to fix a piercing glare at something behind Sanji. The model stepped back slightly, confused, and bumped into Nami's elbow. "Nami-san, I told you to get away!" He said in surprise, but Nami was trembling as her eyes darted about furtively.  
  
"I-I can't move!" She whispered, and she let out a short cry of pain when she tried to move her legs, only for her muscles to start violently twisting. Then she let out a sharp scream, her eyes fixated behind Sanji as she cried, "Watch out!!"  
  
The model was caught off-guard; a knee caught him squarely between the shoulder blades, claw-like grips hitching him at the elbows and jerking them back. Letting out a yell of pain, Sanji was sent with a slam to his knees as Krieg screamed with excitement behind him. And quite suddenly, he felt something horribly chilling and vile tear into his very being through his back.  
  
"SANJI-KUN!!" Nami screamed, her eyes widening from shock, and she noticed with confusion no blood seeping through. It looked as though the man had an arm through Sanji's chest, but there seemed to be no physical harm. However, Sanji's eyes were listless, his posture slack as the man continued to push his hand in deeper.  
  
Krieg searched roughly, and found Sanji's soul. Grabbing it tightly, he started to withdraw it from Sanji. A searing pain caught Sanji like wildfire, and his eyes flared back to life. His teeth clenched together as he grit out, "_Let--go!!_"  
  
Krieg suddenly felt a scorching heat rise up and burn up his arm, and letting out a wounded howl he let go of Sanji's soul abruptly and wrenched his hand out. Sanji spun round and sank his heel heavily into Krieg's jaw, sending him flying into the lamp post. However, Krieg leapt back to his feet, and hurtled onto Sanji again, stuffing his palm over Sanji's mouth.  
  
Sanji's eyes widened - he was pressing a soaked piece of cloth over his mouth, and he let out a choked noise before throwing Krieg off him. However, it was too late; the damage was done, and Sanji felt his world sway as he fell onto his knees.  
  
Krieg gave a satisfied growl before turning and plunging his hand through Nami's chest. Sanji's eyes rounded, and he forced himself up. Nami's eyes glazed over as she felt intruding fingers sift through her core, but like Sanji, she grit her teeth and forced Krieg out, making the large man screech in pain.  
  
"My soul's b-been through en-enough already!!" Nami managed to say from her frozen state, and Krieg glared at her piercingly. Then he grabbed Nami round the waist, hoisted her over his shoulder and started to run. Sanji's jaw dropped open.  
  
"W-wait! No!! Gargh--"  
  
He could not stand from the weakness starting to permeate through his senses, however, and he felt despair sink through him. Then he mentally kicked himself. _Nami-san needs you, remember?_ He told himself firmly, and he forced himself onto his side, wincing at the movement but knowing what he had to do.  
  
The cook managed to force all the strength he could muster into his fist, and steeling himself he punched himself in the windpipe. It worked; coughing violently, he vomited onto the road. Feeling disgusted but better now that he had gotten rid of most of the liquid from himself, Sanji stood up and caught sight of Krieg leaping over cars to cross the road, Nami helplessly with him. Then Sanji noticed, with a bit of a grimace, that Krieg had left behind him a trail of blood that had obviously dripped from his knees.   
  
"I'm not losing her twice," He snarled, and began to sprint as fast as he could after Krieg.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chuu fell against Cabodi and Jango, the last one unconcious, and Luffy grinned as he dusted his hands.  
  
"That was fun!!" He cheered, bouncing up and down, "I haven't had my body in ages!!"  
  
_It's not for long,_ Kale reminded him, and Luffy drooped. Then his eyes widened, and he suddenly rolled over and narrowly missed a heavy punch to his torso. Spinning round, Luffy saw Cabodi standing, looking at him hollowly.  
  
"Huh. You can still move? Wow!!" Luffy remarked, highly impressed.  
  
_You moron!! Don't you think something's strange about him?!_ Kale yelled, and Luffy frowned, peering closely at the guy.  
  
His eyes were a little weird, yes; they were rolling around like crazy, and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth as he chewed it. His skin was all white, and his hands were raised up despite the fact Luffy was sure he'd cracked the bones at the joints...  
  
"He does seem a little different," He said with a slightly confused frown, and Kale refrained from mental strangulation.  
  
_He looks like he's been posessed,_ Kale said grimly, _And I think he's been posessed by a high level Demon._  
  
"Demon?" Luffy echoed, and he threw his arm back behind him when Kale quickly said,  
  
_No, Luffy! Don't punch him!!_  
  
Rubber snapped back and Luffy was forced to leap over Cabodi as he ran forward, his arms outstretched as though to grab him.  
  
"Kale, what's wrong?? Why can't I beat him up?!" Luffy exclaimed, and Kale said urgently,  
  
_Because high level Demons can wrench out souls -- even out of strong people like you,_ Kale snapped, _Close range combat is no good. Do you understand?_  
  
"Can't he do any of that wonky stuff from this distance too, then?" Luffy asked, frowning as he scooted over one side to avoid a broken tile Cabodi had just chucked at him.  
  
_No, he needs to use his hands and put it into you. This is bad, Luffy. Valkrief's Demons have invaded this dimension already. I hate to think of where else Demons are taking over--_  
  
"Kale, what am I supposed to do then?!" Luffy yelped, hopping aside and rolling rapidly beneath Cabodi's wildly swiping hands, "Just keep running away?!"  
  
_Give control back to me-- I'll get the Demon out of that human's body immediately, some way or another._  
  
Kale waited for Luffy to exchange souls. There was a short silence, then--  
  
"No."  
  
_...What?!_  
  
"I said no. I don't wanna change souls." Luffy gave a small pout as he said, "It's been ages since I've been let out, especially in my usual seventeen-year-old body. I don't wanna switch now."  
  
_You gormless, rubber idiot, this isn't the time to be childish!_ Kale said angrily, _This is a high level Demon!_  
  
"I don't about any of that stuff," Luffy said stubbornly, and he stood to face Cabodi as he added stoutly, "And I don't care."  
  
  
  
  
  



	52. Protector

  
"Volare!"  
  
Solare landed lightly on the ground to face his sister in worry. Volare looked up in relief at Solare, brushing up strands of pink hair out of her face as she said, "Solare, this situation is out of our hands."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Solare looked around, frowning. The air hung with the stench of Demons, and he could see it was close to poisoning Volare's weaker shield of holy aura, who was now sprawled on the floor. He grasped her hands in his, strengthening her as he said urgently, "Were you attacked?"  
  
"No... I knew this one was too strong for me, so I fended it off. But it possessed a character from the Oda Dimension..."  
  
"Quiet, Volare," Solare said, "Just rest for a moment."  
  
As Solare healed Volare's weakened shield, Luce arrived; as soon as she landed, her eyes narrowed and her nose scrunched.  
  
"Demons." She said in disgust.  
  
"Luce, take care of her for a moment." Solare instructed, and Luce took Volare's hands from his. He took flight and beat his wings to keep airborne as he quickly searched their surroundings. Practically empty roads stretched out from the abandoned gas station, but towards the north and south highways and masses of people loomed out. Solare frowned; Demons were everywhere...  
  
He stepped back down to hear Luce say in dismay, "I don't think Silver Angels are going to be able to withstand the Demons here, Solare. Your sister's already on the verge of buckling."  
  
"Was it a high level Demon, Volare?" Solare asked, and Volare shut her eyes.  
  
"No... but I could tell it was headed off to a higher level Demon. It tried to take this one's soul..." She gestured towards Gin, who was now beginning to stir. He opened his eyes groggily, and stared at the three people surrounding him with a bemused expression.  
  
"You okay?" Luce asked, and Gin mumbled,  
  
"No. Who are you?"  
  
"We're just passerbys," Solare said quickly, hastily vanishing his wings and causing Gin to blink and squint at him, "and you were knocked out, so..."  
  
Rubbing his forehead, he peeled off the blood-soaked headband and threw it onto the concrete as he staggered to his feet.  
  
"Are you sure you can stand?" Volare asked in alarm, and Gin shrugged floppily.  
  
"I can manage," He grunted, and started to walk towards the road in an unsteady line.  
  
"Hey!! Where are you going? Don't you need a doctor?"   
  
Gin shook his head as he growled, "I'm fine. Thanks. Go away."  
  
The three angels looked after Gin's swerving back in partial amusement before Luce said quietly, "We'd better get Volare back Up."  
  
"I'm sorry." Volare murmured, but Solare and Luce shrugged.  
  
"I'll look for the Demon that got you. Luce, you look for Kale as soon as you get down here, alright?" Luce nodded as Solare turned, wings bursting from his back before a pale light shone from her and Volare.  
  
Gin thought he felt something warm against his back, and something soft brush against his cheek, but when he spun around he didn't see a soul in the empty gas station. For some reason, this bothered Gin. He was sure that there hadn't been anyone there in the first place - he'd woken up alone - so why did he feel as though something was missing?  
  
He shrugged it off, and began to make his way towards where he'd last seen Krieg go. There'd been something wrong with him, and he'd do what it'd take to rein him in before the captain went haywire. After all, he said to himself, no one can stand up to Don Krieg...  
  
He didn't seem to notice the fact he was completely healed.  
  
  
*   
  
  
"KALE!!"  
  
Luffy snapped his eyes temporarily towards the door that had banged open, but paid for it as a cracked tile struck his temple. Rendel stared as Luffy ducked under a further torrent of tiles and called back, "Hey Violet! I'm a little busy though."  
  
Rendel did a quick scan of the situation. There was Luffy's body, currently in possession of its rightful owner, 17 years old and jumping around to avoid attacks from a deathly-pale man who looked insane. She tried to force back a headache. Perhaps the small vision she'd just had of gold wings hadn't been for herself... because no Messenger Angel could ever bring back Luffy's age and power into this world, not even for a short while.  
  
She'd spent too much time thinking; the man noticed her, and glared straight at her. The moment his yellowed eyes pierced through Rendel's, the second she realised with a start that this was no ordinary maniac.  
  
"A high level Demon?! Kale, what on Earth do you think you're doing?!" Rendel yelled, but she was interrupted as the Demon charged towards her. But she swiftly jumped away from it, cartwheeled over the rough cement floor and swiftly grabbed Luffy by the front of his jumper, pulling his chin down to level hers. She was far shorter now that he had grown.  
  
"I don't want Kale to do anything!" Luffy protested, and they were minorly diverted while Luffy grabbed her and pulled them both down, barely managing to duck a sharp tile aimed for their heads, "I just managed to get this body back, and now--"  
  
"But it's a Demon! It's not just another bad guy!!" She tried to explain before narrowly avoiding clawed swipes at their heads. They rolled to the far left of the Demon as Luffy responded,  
  
"I know. But you guys were doing everything uptil now. I need to do something this time."  
  
"Mortals are no match for Demons!" Rendel said exasperatedly, "Just bring Kale out, he'll do something about it!"  
  
"Like what?! Pray it away?" Luffy snapped, and this time, he struck the wrong chord in Rendel.  
  
Her eyes narrowed before burning silver, and she aggressively tore off her jacket and threw it onto the ground. The Demon was starting to run up at them from behind her, but she ignored Luffy's attempts to move them out of the way. Instead, she grabbed his face and forced him to stoop down temporarily so she could stare straight into his eyes. Luffy let out a noise of alarmed protest, but before he could force himself out of her grip, a sliver of light pierced through the back of Rendel's shirt. The words died in Luffy's throat as a pair of silver wings burst out.  
  
"So cool!!!" Luffy managed to cry out as she soared up to the sky, looking as though she wanted to thwack him but didn't have the hands to. She was grabbing Luffy's face with her hands and concentrating on not losing eye-contact. As the Demon below crashed past where they had just been standing, Luffy found himself completely locked with Rendel's gaze. Kale's soul was responding to her calling gaze by glowing gold through Luffy's eyes, but her silent beckoning wasn't enough; Luffy was too stubborn.  
  
"Let him out!" Rendel commanded. But Kale's soul stuck steadfast at the back of Luffy's mind. Before Rendel could attempt once more, however, the Demon was extremely angry at the fact they were in the air - and responded by jumping an almighty leap, snarling with claw-like fingers at hand. Luffy was shocked to find himself unpleasantly thrown out of control of his body as Kale shoved him out of the way abruptly, shouting,  
  
"RENDEL!!" It was far too late, however; the nails of Cabodi's fingers were curled and dug deep into her stomach, and by the time she hit the tiles, blood was seeping through her clothes, a cry of pain escaping her. Her eyes flickered weakly of silver light as the Demon smirked, letting out a satisfied growl as it thrust his hand into her chest. Her eyes widened, and she seemed almost frozen; but, with great difficulty, she took her hand to grab at his arm and gasp,  
  
"No, you c-can't take her--"  
  
The Demon had taken too long. A sudden blast caught it at the stomach, and it fell on its side, shrieking as Kale proceeded to hammer it with an abundance of Holy Wind. Rendel stared; she had never seen Kale look so genuinely angry. His teeth were bared as he clenched them tightly, continually muttering prayers as he stormed blast against blast upon the shrieking Demon.  
  
Rendel might have stayed on the floor quietly for all it was worth; after all, the high-level Demon on the floor did not seem remotely likely to counter-attack anytime soon. But Kale was too distracted to notice that the door behind him had crashed open and several figures loomed out from the darkness. Her eyes widened as they started to run towards him.  
  
Still recovering from the close call Yuko's soul had just had, Rendel found her throat too constricted to speak; but even if she could have, she wouldn't have risked Kale looking away from the high-level Demon. Forcing herself up, in a flurry of silver feathers she was at the door. Kale didn't notice Rendel behind him, causing minor explosions from the floor to blind the crowd of possessed people with a cloud of dust and broken tiles.  
  
But even Silver Angels, especially injured ones, have limits.  
  
One of those that had crashed through the door was the Demon that had had the people with him possessed in the first place. Rendel found her throat grabbed and her whole form thrown up, her wings beating uselessly as she heard the possessed humans start screeching incoherently and a deep, delighted chuckle right infront of her. She thrust her hands towards the floor, desperately choking out a prayer and causing the tiles to erupt beneath the feet of her captor.  
  
But this only succeeded in throwing the Demon off balance temporarily - Rendel noticed for the first time there was a normal, unpossessed human thrown over its shoulder. The Demon teetered backwards for a split second, then with a roar it threw its weight forwards by shoving the human onto the floor. Rendel saw out of the corner of her eye the figure try to scramble away, but the Demon slammed his foot heavily against her back, choking the girl's scream.  
  
Ignoring the girl and focusing on his prize catch of Silver Angel now, the Demon leered at her. Then it abruptly backed off; Rendel could smell the Demon's putrid breath let out in a snort of disgust as it tried to push its way to devour her soul, only to be blocked by a barrier Kale had cast the moment he'd thrown the first Demon off Rendel.  
  
Then the pressure was released from her neck, but she was thrown face-down; she tried to move, but the possessed humans had regained their sight and movement, and piled upon her limbs, pinning her limbs down in a crushing weight. She beat her wings fruitlessly - then realised with dread what they were planning to do as she felt their cold claws dig painfully deep into the joints of her wings past the feathery exterior.  
  
She tried to vanish her wings, but not before a dreadful ripping sound filled the air; a wind ripped across the roof, slamming the door shut and catching Kale's attention. He whipped around in alarm and stared as the wind blew a litter of blood-soaked silver feathers into him. If Rendel had thought he had been angry before, compared to what he was next, it was nothing. The air suddenly swelled with heat as Kale let out an exclamation in Divine Language that caused Rendel's eyes to flick open in shock.  
  
But the high-level Demon was no where near damaged enough to allow Kale that much distraction. It tore towards him, chewing on its tongue ferociously as it sank its nails into Kale's neck. Almost too angry to think, Kale gripped the Demon by its arm, causing it to howl at the heat Kale's skin was emitting, before jerking it and throwing it at the pack of possessed people.  
  
They scattered like birds as the Demon fell with a loud crack amidst their feet, but the other Demon with its blue-and-white striped headband stood ready; picking up the girl that had previously been on its shoulder and under its foot, it ran towards the railing and kicked the high fence down with a single stroke. Then it lifted the girl high above its head, making as though to throw her off the building.  
  
Kale's eyes widened as he felt blood drain from his face, whispering with dismay, "Nami...!" His eyes surveyed the Silver Angel, now being pinned down by another horde of possessed people, and Nami seconds from plunging to her death, her eyes wide and screaming obscenities as the Demon made jerky movements with its arms, as though it were about to throw her off.  
  
"Stop that!" Kale yelled. All eyes were on him as he looked desperately around. Nami mouthed 'Luffy', her expression scared and surprised, and Kale gave a short nod. "Put her down." He said.  
  
The first high-level Demon picked itself up from the ground before staggering towards Kale. The Gold Angel knew all too well what the shuddering gasps of wheezy growls meant - he knew what it was asking for return for Nami's life. He braced himself for the impact. Sure enough, the Demon paused for a moment just before Kale; then drew his arm back before drilling his fist into Kale's side.  
  
Rendel barely managed to gasp from her view from the ground as she saw Kale fall heavily to the ground, clutching his side painfully, but making no movement to react. Her vision blurred as she saw the Demons and the possessed people surround him and proceed to try and pulverise him. Rendel did not shut her eyes, but the tears spilled over her lower lashes anyway.  
  
  
*   
  
  
_Hmm. I guess it's been a bit too much if I suddenly woke up now, huh?  
  
You don't seem so worried on the outside, but I'm sure your insides are begging to differ. I'd know, obviously; what else would have let you let me go?  
  
Things are a lot different in here than in you, I guess. This girl's not as strong as you'd like, you know. I bet all you'd have to do is insult her a bit and she'd go crying for that other person she liked before.  
  
Looking through her memories, she's got loads of that other guy. That white-haired person - I think he's a really annoying marine in our past life? She's got hardly any memories she's cherishing of you.  
  
Alright, I guess that's normal - after all, you guys haven't really known each other for that long.  
  
I guess it's also a bit harsh for me to judge the girl like this. But honestly - her technique **sucks**. She needs to fix herself up; her confidence seems to be pooled where the sword is. You've noticed too, haven't you? The way she moves isn't aligned as well as your moves are to the sword's arc. But don't you go telling her that now - she might as well be a rival in the future...  
  
...I guess I'm a little depressed. I mean... this girl is totally unlike me. Her self-esteem needs a serious makeover, her ideas on justice are just so cocky and messed up, plus she's such a damn pushover. Any guy could get their way with her, I bet!  
  
But she's got a bit of my looks, I'll admit that. She's even got a couple of my dreams... and she's got... she seems to have gotten something else of mine.  
  
Despite her seemingly pushover attitude, it does seem she's got her eyes set high on the guy right for her. Looking around her soul you get to see a load of things that don't usually see the light. Aa, now look here - she wants a guy that's compassionate, caring and romantic! Hah! You've got none of those attributes.  
  
Besides, don't you want a girl who's a bit more feistier than this, with a less stickler-like attitude to rules, not to mention someone who doesn't ask you so many questions? She's drop-dead annoying if you ask me.  
  
So how did she manage to get herself into you, may I ask?! What's weirder is that it looks like she's got her sights set on you too. But you guys are completely incompatible, if you ask me. Hmph.  
  
'Course, she is a bit like me. And she's... oh fine, she's a bit stronger than she looks. Her confidence is improving... thanks to you. I guess she needs to be a bit justice-orientated, or you'd go completely wild without restraint. And I suppose she only asks you questions because she cares.  
  
Geez.  
  
You're doing her good too, you know. You've somehow made yourself a place in her - some sort of mentor and role-model to look up to. But at the same time you're someone she really wants to get to know. She somehow has it figured that your loss is something she can't do anything about, yet it's something that's paining you somehow constantly.  
  
She doesn't want to heal you... I don't think so.  
  
Somehow she doesn't seem to think it's her place to do so. You know that really annoying 'I am gonna protect everyone' attitude you've been sporting since I've gone? She seems to want to adopt it, too.  
  
That is, she wants to protect you too.  
  
Being the dense person you are, I bet you didn't even think about why she was the one who got her soul taken first, and not yours. You're one of the people who are destined to be fully part of the return to our world, remember?  
  
She got taken first because when that Demon tried to get you, she grabbed it from you. Even though she knew it was something stupid to do.  
  
Sort of like how you know what you're doing now is near-impossible and frankly reckless and stupid, but you're doing it anyway.  
  
I can't tell if this is growing up or backwards, but whatever it is, I have a feeling it's nothing about logical inconsistencies at this point.  
  
I think you both don't even seem to realise what you guys are feeling! Both of you are as dense as bricks!! Birds of a feather may flock together, but honestly, this is just too much...  
  
...Wow. Time really flies... considering this is the second life. Geez... if you didn't take me with you, I'd probably be happily in another body by now. Maybe we would have been acquaintances in GLU, right? Dumb cabbage-head.  
  
Remember to take me back when you get her soul, 'cause otherwise I'm gonna get rejected and lost in the ghostly, Earthly realm of spirits. And if that happens, you can be sure I'll find a cross-dimensional portal, meander over to the Going Merry and kick your butt. Like always.  
  
I'm keeping my eyes shut for now because I don't think you could take it if I started talking to you, huh? It's been too long...  
  
...maybe a little later, ne?_  
  
  
*   
  
  
Usopp glanced up desperately as Krow began to bolt up the stairs; he didn't have any idea how Kaya was going to manage avoiding Krow upstairs long enough for him to recover and get help.  
  
Then Krow gave only a half-glance behind him, and though his face was twisted in anger, Krow still managed to twist it further into an infuriatingly lofty _smirk_.  
  
Usopp was suddenly struck with the silent words being said by Krow; _you're hilariously pathetic._ As the words ran through his mind, Usopp stared blankly after the running figure before the full weight of the words began to incense his mind.  
  
Sure he wasn't strong, but he wasn't _pathetic_. He'd really be pathetic if he acted stronger than he really was... _Problem is, I usually act weaker than I am,_ Usopp realised. He glared up at Krow, suddenly filled with intense fury.  
  
But the prudent side of Usopp surfaced suddenly, and relaxing the engineer sank back onto his bleeding legs. _I can't help the situation I'm in,_ he tried to think reasonably, _I mean, I'm not as strong as I'd like to be..._  
  
Next to him the weak cough of Merii caught his attention; he cast a glance at the shivering and dying blood-drenched man who'd thrown his life to the winds in order to protect Kaya.  
  
_Kaya..._ Usopp thought helplessly, _I'm sorry..._  
  
Usopp looked up again to see Krow near the top of the stairs, and he narrowed his eyes.  
  
_I'm sorry that I'm not strong, that is. Not as strong as I want to be... not as strong as I need to be, in order to protect you to the same degree as Zoro, or Sanji, or Luffy... but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try._  
  
With that thought, determination flooded him, and Usopp forced feeling into his numbing legs. _Pfft. These leg wounds are nothing. They don't affect me in the least!_ He felt the blood squeezing out and dripping into his shoes as he tried to stand, and thought quickly, _fine - maybe I'm not Superman, so this does freaking hurt. But it's nothing to me if it means I can protect someone...!_  
  
Forcing himself up on shaky legs and blinking blood and water out of his eyes, Usopp half ran, half stumbled to the stairs, whipping out from his pocket the small bag of marbles. His hands slippery with blood, it took a few seconds to fit a marble into a make-shift sling of his 'kerchief.  
  
"KROW!!" He yelled on the top of his lungs, willing the shaking of his legs to stop, and as the man began to turn Usopp wasted no time in throwing his arm back slinging a marble forward with all his might.  
  
Unfortunately, because Usopp had been so concentrated on the power of the shot rather than the aim, the marble failed to hit Krow squarely between the eyes. Instead, the marble struck Krow right up his left nostril.  
  
Letting out a howl of surprise and pain, Krow staggered; Usopp, likewise shocked, still managed to retain his wits enough to sling more marbles into Krow's face. The second marble sank into Krow's right eye and the third crushing the bones in the bridge of Krow's nose with a wet sounding crunch. Still howling, Krow staggered over a step and immediately tripped and fell down the stairs, hitting every fourth step with a crunch before landing in a heap at Usopp's feet.  
  
Usopp was so shocked for a minute he could do nothing but stare, but Krow suddenly started to stir. Screaming, Usopp somehow found the strength to grab two vases and a drawer and send them crashing over Krow's head - and still screaming, the engineer practically flew up the stairs.  
  
  
*   
  
  
Rendel jerked her head round as the distinct sound of pounding footsteps ascending rapidly up the staircase to the roof; the Demon and the possessed mob seemed too occupied with Kale to notice until it was too late.  
  
With a great crash, the door was blown off its hinges and it slammed right into the group surrounding Kale; they let out high shrieks of pain as Sanji stood framed by the doorway, trying to catch his breath and take in the view of the rooftop. As the mob hurried to their feet, spitting angrily as their eyes rolled maniacally, Rendel realised with a start that the people on her were temporarily diverted.  
  
A quick prayer later and the people on her were blasted off; rolling aside, she quickly picked herself up to her feet and ran to Kale.  
  
Sanji was finding everything hard to absorb. _Luffy looks older, for some reason; I guess that might be Kale's doing, but what's Rendel doing here? I guess she's involved herself somehow. Krieg's over there, but where in the world is--_ The model did a double-take and his jaw dropped. _NAMI-SAN?!!_  
  
"Sanji-kun!! Luffy!!" Nami cried, craning her neck over Krieg's arm still dangling her over the fallen railing.  
  
"Hang in there, Nami-san!! I'm coming!!" Sanji shouted, and with a strengthened vigour - mostly from the bewildered incomprehension - the cook proceeded to kick his way spectacularly through the possessed mob towards Nami.  
  
"Kale," Rendel breathed, praying desperately for him as she gathered his hands into hers, "Kale, come on, don't zonk out on me now, we need you the most..."  
  
Kale blearily opened his eyes; he didn't seem able to talk. Rendel bit her lip to stop herself from cursing the Demons out loud. They had blasted into Kale so much Evil he didn't have much of himself left at the moment to move. Kale slowly lifted a hand, trembling slightly, but managed to curl it around Rendel's back.  
  
"Kale...?" She said questioningly, having to raise her voice over the ruckus the possessed humans and Sanji were making, when she felt a warmth start to centre from her back.  
  
"You're... still bleeding." Kale croaked, and he fell into a dead faint. Rendel's eyes rounded with concern and surprise, realising he'd spent the last of his conciousness to stop her wings from bleeding - when the boy sat up so suddenly their heads met with a bang.  
  
"What the--" Rendel tried to keep her head from spinning, and as the stars winked at her from the corners of her eyes, she scarcely managed to notice that his body had shrunk back to its twelve year old status.  
  
"I'M BAAAACK!!!" Luffy roared, seemingly unphased by the collision, and he leapt to his feet. Then he looked himself. "Ehhhh? I'm back to a little guy again!" He brooded for a few seconds - then swiftly ducked out of the way of a wayward broken tile.  
  
"Took you long enough!!" Sanji yelled, round-housing a few men aside, and Luffy immediately jumped into action. He began deftly tripping and kicking people over; both him and Sanji began fighting their way through the tidal wave of the Demon-possessed people, assisted by the occasional small explosion thanks to Rendel's prayers.  
  
Krieg's Demon had no idea what to do at this point, but it did know that it seemed to be fighting a losing battle. So it did the most distracting thing it could do - it threw Nami over the roof.  
  
"Eh?" Said Nami.  
  
For a split second, everyone stared, gobsmacked at the scene. Silence reigned for a second. Then chaos resumed as Sanji suddenly flipped a man over and threw him into Krieg.  
  
Luffy ran towards Krieg, hollering a war-cry - and proceeded to easily jump off the roof after Nami, yelling, "I'm coming!!!"  
  
Sanji stared after him before rushing over to the broken railing and looking down. A whirl of gold feathers brushed against his cheek, and Sanji saw the back of Luffy's shirt torn open with a pair of glowing wings, zooming down towards Nami's falling form, before the back of his shirt was grabbed and he was thrust back onto the rooftop.  
  
"Sanji!!" Rendel yelled, "A high-level Demon just ran down the stairs after Nami and Luffy!"  
  
But Sanji did not have time to contemplate this statement; Rendel finally gave into the limits of the human body and crumpled onto the floor as Sanji backflipped to get out of swinging range of Krieg, who was madly swinging a possessed human around like a club.  
  
"Well," Sanji muttered as he eyed Krieg through narrowed eyes, "at least it won't explode when it touches me..."  
  
  
  
  



	53. Interlude: The Nutshell

As of May 1st, 12:40AM, I have just replaced the content of chapters 50, 51 and 52.  
  
What I have changed:  
  
1. La La land no longer exists as a plot element.  
  
2. Therefore Tashigi's and Zoro's bit have changed a little drastically.  
  
That's probably all I've really changed, actually. I've added more to the other bits.  
  
Here's a quick nutshell of all 52 chapters so far:  
  
Everyone: Who are we? I wonder what we're doing here?  
  
Kale: You're here to go back to the other world.  
  
Nami: That's retarded.  
  
God: Tough.  
  
Luffy: I'm hungry.  
  
Bad Guys: BWAHAHAHA!  
  
Everyone: Oh crap.  
  
Zoro: Where did that dumbass go?  
  
Tashigi: That's not nice.  
  
Kale: Luffy's a moron.  
  
Rendel: So are you.  
  
Sanji: Aaaaaaaangst.  
  
Nami: Aaaaaaangstangst relief.  
  
Bad Guys: What the hell?  
  
Demons: Nyehehehehe.  
  
Bad Guys: Ahhhh! We're possessed!  
  
Everyone: Ahhhh! They're possessed!  
  
And I say, well, there you go. If you forgot.  
  
Bunny: That was about as helpful as pouring salt down someone's throat to make the medicine go down.  
  
Aaa, the hell with it.  
  
I'll update sometime later. 


	54. Sanji's Vision

  
  
Usopp nearly tripped over the last stair in his haste, but managed to avoid disaster as he hopped the rest of the way on his good leg towards the room he'd seen Kaya dash into. Upon entering, torn chunks of wood and carpet met his eye; the room had evidently been sliced up by Krow at some point. Before he could ponder why the room was in this state already, he saw a short ladder had been pulled down from the ceiling to give way up to what appeared to be an attic. The dust that had been thickly blanketing the ladder was still floating in the air.  
  
"Kaya!" Usopp called, trying not to be too loud as he scurried up the ladder and popped his head into the musty air of the attic. Kaya had evidently been expecting Krow, as Usopp found himself facing the barrel of Kaya's gun just inches from his head.  
  
"Oh, Usopp-san!" She said, startled as Usopp let out a cry of surprise and fear and fell off the ladder and out of sight. He was back up the ladder in a flash, however, and he tugged urgently at Kaya's arm as he looked at her seriously.  
  
"You can't stay here, this is like waiting for him to come get you!"  
  
"I--I was trying to give you time to run out the back door!" Kaya exclaimed, and Usopp nearly fell off the ladder again.  
  
"Don't be a moron," Usopp said exasperatedly, "that psycho's after the _both_ of us, not just you! He'll be up here any minute, Kaya--" But she didn't budge when he pulled at her arm again, and to his surprise she removed a hand from the gun to tug at his shirt upwards.  
  
"If we stay here, we can predict his movements at least," Kaya said with a slight frown. "This is the only thing I can think of doing that is logical..."  
  
The sniper did some quick thinking. Running back down would risk facing an extremely angry Krow, he supposed, but then again Krow might have hidden himself at this point... Usopp pulled himself up onto the attic floor and looked curiously at Kaya. "So we wait here for him?"  
  
"He'll come here," Kaya said, her voice quiet but full of conviction, and she gestured to Usopp to move further back, towards the dusty window through which a weak light was filtering. They stood in front of the window, their figures casting shadows over the thick coat of dust on the moulding planks of wood, their eyes on the square of light from where Krow's head was expected to pop through any second. Usopp was jolted out of concentration when she pressed the gun, now warm from her hands, into his fingers.  
  
"You want me to shoot?"  
  
"Usopp-san, you should know more than anyone else that your aim far outstrips my own," Kaya said, suddenly smiling, "and ... that gun only has one bullet in it."  
  
"Just like the gun you had last time," Usopp said, remembering, and Kaya bit her lip with a nod. "I realised... it only had one bullet when I checked downstairs... so I came up to the attic to reload, but I still haven't been able to find--"  
  
She let out a sudden shriek as the entrance to the attic exploded in a cloud of dust and wood; Usopp yelled, his eyes frantically searching through the dust fruitlessly, and he stepped in front of Kaya instinctively.  
  
Usopp caught the weak light flashing off Krow's blades right before his eyes, and barely managed to push Kaya out of the way before the blades slashed at him; Usopp thrust the side of the gun barrel in the way and felt his muscles strain at the impact. The gun received most of the shock, however, and the rest of the blades only cut his arms slightly.  
  
Starting to waver at the building pressure, Usopp felt his wrist bone crack painfully before he threw his weight against the blade; it glanced off the gun, but Usopp lost his grip on the handle as the blade skid off. It fell uselessly onto the floor, its clatter muffled against the soft wood and dust. Not expecting that, Usopp looked up to have the glint of Krow's teeth catch his eye before Krow's actual snarling face loomed into sight.  
  
Usopp barely dodged a swipe aimed for his throat, and instead the blades tore into the window behind Usopp. Kaya screamed as the wood panelling behind her erupted, a shower of glass tinkling onto the dust, but Usopp had pushed her out of range so she remained unharmed.  
  
"Kaya, get out of here!!!" Usopp shouted, and now that he could see through the settling dust he spotted the gun lying just behind Krow's shoes. Without thinking twice, the engineer barrelled into Krow's stomach, trying to ignore the two blades that snicked his arms from the move.  
  
Krow let out a growl of surprise before he fell heavily onto the floor, dust billowing from all sides. The wooden floor gave loud, ominous creaks. Usopp took the time Krow lay winded to reach desperately for the gun lying just aside of Krow's legs, but had severely underestimated Krow's pain threshold.  
  
"Look out!!" Kaya screamed, and Usopp, whose outstretched fingers had been millimetres from the gun handle, turned his head alarmedly to have the flash of Krow's blades reflected within his eyes, Krow's short laugh mingling with Kaya's scream.

* * *

Sanji ducked as the person Krieg was swinging was thrown at him, and rolled himself aside. He found no time to rest, however, and the next thing Sanji knew he was swiftly ducking and dodging limp bodies Krieg threw without mercy. The cook couldn't stop his heart clenching in worry, despite the fact Luffy was down there with Nami. Even though Sanji had just witnessed how the physical change hadn't deterred Luffy's general strength and speed, all the same he knew it'd be harder without his old body to fend off a high level Demon.  
  
_Which leaves me to defeat Krieg as fast as I can so I can help Luffy quick,_ Sanji thought, his teeth gritting in determination as he deftly kicked away someone attempting to sneak up on him from behind. So caught up in his thoughts, he finally noticed the small group of people trudging towards Rendel's fallen form; too late in this realisation, however, he could do nothing to prevent them tossing her limp form to Krieg. He caught her small body roughly, his eyes blazing with triumph at Sanji.  
  
Throwing her body down onto the concrete, Krieg slammed his foot down onto her wound, sneering at Sanji. When Sanji made an angry move towards him, Krieg twisted his boot deeper into Rendel's stomach; she let out a sharp yelp, and Sanji felt his heart sieze up as the Silver Angel began to cry from the pain, but bit her lip to keep from crying out loud. A small dribble of blood fell from her lip as she was biting down too hard.  
  
Sanji couldn't stand to see a girl cry like that, especially when they were crying but trying hard not to, to try and hide their pain for the benefit of others... like Nami would. As those in the mob who could still move started towards Sanji, Krieg growled loudly when Sanji gave a start; the cook got the message clearly. _Move and the girl dies._ A rush of emotion swept through Sanji's mind, and for a moment, he could do nothing but clench his fists and glare frustratedly...  
  
The sounds of haggard breathing, snorts of triumph and the wind whistling past the roof suddenly fell mute. Sanji frowned slightly, wondering for a split second whether the attacks he'd gotten earlier from Krieg were finally starting to take its toll, but then other noises began to sift into his mind.  
  
_"Sanji!!"_  
  
Sanji blinked. The blue and pearl sky was gone. Starched cloths on dining tables with guests settled at the chairs took its place, their gobsmacked eyes trained on Sanji... he looked down and saw a blue and white striped headband he immediately recognised; _Gin._  
  
Next to the tearful Gin kneeled a large man in a rich cloak with furs, looking no different in his appearance to the currently possessed Krieg other than the fact his headband was not identical to Gin's - it looked wrapped in bandages. Tears spilled out of Krieg's eyes as he unceremoniously dug into the food with his gloved hands, his thick lips soon coated with grease.  
  
_"Sorry...!!!"_  
  
Before Sanji had really noticed the ground below him bobbing up and down from the waves of the sea, Krieg had suddenly loomed forward, Sanji just catching the look of cruel satisfaction in his eyes before being thrust onto the floor flat on his back. His lower lip burst in pain as his jaws slammed together from the impact; blood filled his mouth as his slid his eyes onto Krieg painfully twisting a screaming Gin's shoulder.  
  
_ "I feel as though I'm born again..."_  
  
No evil grin, no chuckle of delight; a simply cold, almost bored look in his eyes as Krieg scanned the Baratie in a swift glance. The nonchalance in his voice burned in Sanji's brain as Krieg spoke, _"It's a good restaurant. I'm taking it."_  
  
A gust of wind suddenly rushed past Sanji's ears; the image was whipped away from his eyes to melt into the possessed Krieg standing before him, his teeth still bared in an awful grin.  
  
_Don't tell me Usopp's been going through this for a long time..._ Sanji shook his head, sighing, then narrowed his eyes as he gazed at Krieg. _Now I completely remember this guy..._  
  
This wasn't a time to be contemplating about their past connection, but Sanji's determination was replenished. Yet what could he do? Sanji didn't have the heart to let the young Silver Angel get hurt just because he was unable to protect her properly...  
  
_But I can't lose hope,_ Sanji thought, _I'll just have to think of a way out of this, like Luffy... though I'll try not to think of anything as drastic as destroying a boat... or building, in my case--_ A mighty roar suddenly jolted Sanji out of his train of thoughts.  
  
"KRIIIIIIIEG!!!!!"  
  
Sanji whipped around to see a blur of white and blue just barely glance his nose. Gin was running from the entrance to the roof towards Krieg, his eyes wide and his mouth open in a holler that successfully distracted Don Krieg long enough to allow Gin to knock him down and off of Rendel.  
  
The Demon snarled before grabbing Gin and throwing him right against the wall beside the open door; as Gin's body hit the wall, a thick web of cracks shot through the concrete before Gin fell to the ground, unconcious. Letting out a sharp growl, Krieg turned to stamp his boot into Rendel once more-- but Gin had given Sanji all the time he'd needed.  
  
Dashing forward, Sanji had her crumpled form in his arms within seconds. He rolled back with her, just in time to dodge Krieg's heavy footfall, and stood up quickly but failed to dodge the unicycle Krieg chose to pick up and throw at him. The Demon in Krieg let out a satisfied growl as Sanji staggered; he barely managed to swerve out of the way from a body of a fallen person thrown in his direction.  
  
Quickening his step, Sanji swiftly reached the door and set Rendel down quickly onto the stairs before he shut the door and had to immediately duck to avoid being crushed against the door with another human body. The body hit the door with a sickening crunch, and Sanji felt a jolt of anger.  
  
Because he remembered how Krieg had treated even the most loyal person to him, just because he didn't get to have his every way... Glancing over at the twitching figure of Gin, Sanji felt his blood boil...  
  
Rushing forward, Sanji quickly dodged another person and quickly kicked away any other possessed humans trying to intercept his path to Krieg. Reaching Krieg, Sanji swiftly moved out of the way of a double-fisted swing aimed at his head, and spinning on his heel Sanji put all his strength into crushing his shoe into Krieg's gut.  
  
The impact of Sanji's kick threw Krieg into the railing and dented it; foam began to rapidly dribble down Krieg's chin as his eyes blazed in anger. Sanji cursed inwardly. He'd intended to kick Krieg off the roof, but apparently he had not yet completely recovered from the bruises from Alvida. Sanji ran forward and jumped, aiming a spin-kick at Krieg's neck; unfortunately, Krieg caught Sanji's leg and threw him angrily onto the ground with enough force to crack the concrete.  
  
Winded and stunned, Sanji suffered a harsh kick to the side of his abdomen that sent him rolling over; picking himself up, Sanji unsuccessfully tried to dodge a punch that ended up ramming not into his ribs but into the shoulder Alvida had dislocated previously. Unable to keep in a howl of pain, Sanji tried to keep himself out of Krieg's hitting range, gripping his shoulder tightly as convulsions wracked it.  
  
Distracted by the pain, he flinched as he skid under Krieg's fist, and met his other fist with his face. Thrown back, Sanji found himself sprawled on the floor and cringing as the Demon crushed both his arms under Krieg's boots.  
  
"Stop it," Sanji croaked out as the Demon bared its teeth in a malicious grin, panting heavily from its efforts to take Sanji down, and it flexed its fingers. Sanji's pained mind fell to chaos as its hand plunged into Sanji's chest once again. This time, Sanji was so caught up in his pain he found it harder to keep his soul in; feeling the grinding pain as the Demon began to pull his soul away, Sanji let out a strangled cry.  
  
Suddenly, the floor below exploded; Sanji's soul snapped back into him like elastic as his body flew into the air. Feeling dazed but strangely refreshed, Sanji fell on his feet, and found himself now facing the Demon a fair distance away. The Demon was looking deeply affronted and angry at a space behind Sanji; he chanced a glance over his shoulder to see Rendel standing shakily by the door, her knees buckling but her lips continuously moving. A soft white light suddenly glowed from Sanji's shoulder, and felt the pain fade; with a rush of gratitude Sanji realised, _she must be praying for me._  
  
Not wanting to let her prayer's timing go to waste, Sanji smartly flipped himself onto his hands and landed a swift kick up Krieg's chin; as Krieg staggered back uneasily, Sanji took the chance to bring his leg back and swing the toe of his shoe into Krieg's face. As the Demon was thrown clean off his feet, Sanji easily flipped himself upright, and took no time in performing a proper spin-kick onto Krieg's airborne body.  
  
The momentum of the kick brought Sanji near Krieg's side, and nimbly landing on his hands once more Sanji threw a heel into Krieg's temple. The back of Krieg's head hit the floor so hard Sanji felt the tremor rippling through his hands; the Demon let out a screech of pain that was abruptly cut off as Sanji brought his other heel down onto the exact same spot. As Krieg's head hit the ground again, the floor around his head resembled a small crater; and finally the body lost conciousness, and the Demon left it.  
  
Looking down at Krieg's sore face, Sanji was startled to see blood start pouring out from Krieg's knees in unnatural amounts. A movement behind Sanji surprised him; he spun around to see Gin shakily getting to his feet, bits of broken concrete falling from his clothes.  
  
Their eyes met. Silent gratitude and contentment passed quickly between them, and without another word Sanji strode past Gin and a confused looking Rendel before bolting down the stairs.   
  
"Sanji?!" Rendel called out questioningly, and his reply echoed from two floors down,  
  
"Nami-san's in trouble!!"  
  
Shaking her head, the Silver Angel watched Gin walk staggeringly towards Krieg. Bending down, Gin straightened once he had Krieg securely over his shoulder. Krieg's knees soaked Gin's shirt in blood, and he bit his lip and looked down guiltily.  
  
Apparently unable to see Rendel, Gin walked unevenly past her and began to descend the stairs much more slowly than Sanji had previously done so. Rendel let out a tired sigh before whispering a small prayer; Gin suddenly felt his energy renew with vigour. Without questioning the change, Gin hurried down the steps without noticing Krieg's knees' bleeding had ceased temporarily.  
  
Rendel let out a louder and longer sigh before sinking down onto the ground; she surveyed the rooftop. The people on the ground were groaning in pain from broken bones and bruises; Rendel could see how not a single one of them had a Demon in them now. Apparently the Demons in them had fled once the strongest Demon of them, Krieg, had gone too. Relieved, Rendel sighed, and pressed her fingers to the wound at her stomach.  
  
"Now I can finally heal myself, right God?" She whispered, and smiled as a white light glowed from her wound without her even praying for it.

* * *

Smoker was enormously surprised to feel the weight finally lift itself off his back. Immediately rolling aside, sending the skateboard clattering across the ground, Smoker backed away quickly from the young man. Smoker glared at him, suspicious of why the skaterboy had suddenly decided to move when during the past hour he had been sleeping soundly.  
  
The skaterboy stretched his arms out, yawning widely and loudly and infuriating Smoker further. Now the numbness was ebbing away, Smoker could feel the bruises his ribs had pressed into his chest.  
  
"Mmm. That was a good nap," The young man said nonchalantly, and he flipped his upturned skateboard over with his foot. Smoker was still staring suspiciously, when the skaterboy shrugged.  
  
"You don't have to stare at me like that, man. I was just doing what I felt I had to do. It was like..." Here his brows creased as he searched for the words to phrase it for just a moment. Then the skaterboy smiled relaxedly. "...like God was telling me what to do. Something like that. I don't know why I had to do it, but there you go."  
  
"You've assaulted a police officer and hindered him from stopping what could have been a maniac," Smoker growled, but the skaterboy shrugged once more as he got onto his skateboard.  
  
"Like I said, I didn't mean to do it. Sorry," He said breezily, and with that, the young man put all his weight onto the foot still on the ground and shot past Smoker on his skateboard.  
  
"Wh-what-- WAIT!!" Smoker tried to give chase to him, but his muscles had been cramped for so long he ended up crashing down. "WAIT, DAMMIT! WAAAAAIT!!"  
  
His useless shouts amused the skaterboy as he skateboarded easily away into the crowd of pedestrians nearby. The tattoos on his arm caused several people to stare, especially at the fact the 'S' had been so boldly crossed out. Not that he really minded; he didn't think bold mistakes were so bad. At least he didn't pretend to be perfect.  
  
Though maybe nearly misspelling his own name was a bit over the line. He tried not to think about that fact. Smoker's yells met his ears once more, and he quickly skated through the crowd to the pavement opposite. "Hope that's enough for you, Big Guy," He muttered before grinning.

* * *

The blades sank deeply into the wood as Usopp rolled over. Panicking, he backed away quickly from Krow, who let out a growl of impatience as he tried to pull the blades out of the floor. The bandages slid cleanly off the blades with a jerk, and Krow smirked as he slid his cracked glasses further up the bridge of his nose with his palm, despite the fact there were no longer any blades to pierce him.  
  
Meanwhile Usopp had himself shielding Kaya from Krow, trying to figure what to do desperately.  
  
"Acting the knight, liar?" Krow rasped, and he flung himself forward; Kaya felt Usopp grasping her around the waist before she was thrown a tad bit unceremoniously over Krow's head.  
  
She fell onto the floor, skidding on her side, but ignoring the pain she strained to look through the dust her landing had flown up.  
  
Krow's blades had sunk into the wooden floor once again, but his other hand had thrown a well-aimed punch that sent Usopp reeling to the floor. As Usopp forced himself up, he saw Krow's blades in the dusty floor and quickly reacted. He threw all his weight into ramming his elbow into Krow's chest; as Krow let out a choked noise, Usopp slammed his weight against Krow's bladed hand.  
  
The blades did not sink any further, but the bones in Krow's hand let out a nasty crunch. Roaring in pain, Krow swung his fist out and connected with Usopp's shoulder, and as Usopp staggered Krow mustered as much strength as he could into pulling his blades out of the floor. With a wide swipe, the blades cut through the floor and out of it; the floor gave its loudest creak yet.  
  
Before either Usopp or Krow had regained their balance, the wooden floor trembled, creaked once more, then completely caved in. Kaya's mouth opened in shock as the two suddenly disappeared through the floor, thick clouds of dust swallowing them up, their yells of surprise quickly smothered as they hit the floor below.  
  
Usopp bounced off a bed before hitting the floor; as he gingerly lifted his head, bits of wood splinters and dust powdering the air, he squinted through and realised this was probably Kaya's room. The door had been smashed through, but half of Kaya's desk and a torn up bookcase effectively blocked the entrance. It looked like Krow's doing from earlier on... Usopp picked himself off the floor, trying to get his stunned senses back to normal, when he heard a sharp tinkle of glass just beside him.  
  
Turning sharply, Usopp was met with Krow's face hovering high above him, his expression vicious and his handful of blades pulled back to swipe at Usopp. Yelping, Usopp rolled himself quickly under the bed; he heard the blades muffledly tear through the thick carpet as he rolled himself through to the other end of the bed. Bits of carpet now added to the mist of dust and wood bits, Usopp was slow to react to Krow grabbing his shirt and dragging him up to meet Krow's snarling face.  
  
"Enough," He hissed, and Usopp's world was thrown wildly out of perspective as he was shoved through the window. The window had already been broken, and the shards tore mercilessly through his arms before he banged, hard, onto the railings. Pain exploding from his back and pulsing through his body, Usopp could see nothing for a few seconds but constant stars blinking in his way.  
  
Before he could even think of recovery, Krow reached through the window in an attempt to slice Usopp with his blades; as Usopp tried to move out of the way, he stumbled and failed to stand properly - before he could do anything stumbled uneasily onto the steps leading down, tripped on himself and fell painfully down the stairs.  
  
Kaya only regained her senses a while after Usopp and Krow had fallen through the floor, and had decided she could not go down when Krow would expect her to do so. Pushing hard on the broken window frame, the whole thing fell out and onto the grass far below; biting her lip and steadying herself, Kaya gripped the window ledge and climbed out.  
  
She had done this before, when she was very young when her parents had still been alive... She had never done it since. Hoping the pipe would still support her weight, she grabbed the water pipe near her, slid her feet away from the ledge and pulled herself onto the edge of the roof. A wind blew, causing Kaya to almost lose her grip on the sunbaked tiles, but she gave herself a mental shake.  
  
_Just don't let Klahadol find me,_ She thought, and she stood up slowly, making her way across the roof, knowing the pipe on the other end reached the ground-- a blade suddenly shot through the roof beside her, and Kaya stumbled, a small cry escaping from her lips--  
  
Falling hard onto the roof, her slender fingers groping for a grip on the tiles, she looked up in horror as Krow stood up in front of her, his slick hair now all mussed, his usually calm face completely contorted in an unrecognisable and ugly expression as he raised his hand of blades.  
  
Words of anger, hatred and scorn clamoured to be heard in Krow's mind, but at that moment, the fact the long-nosed fool was gone was numbingly satisfying. Instead, a small smirk lifted Krow's lips.  
  
"You're mine." He said simply.

* * *

She wasn't dead already, was she? Tashigi's soft noises of discomfort had stopped suddenly, and Zoro was starting to get worried; however, he couldn't stop running. He couldn't explain himself, but he just somehow _knew_ he was close to the Demon...  
  
He finally caught sight of the back of the Demon disappearing into a crowd of people, and shoving past them himself he yelled, "STOP!!" The Demon did not appear to react however, and ducked into an alleyway.  
  
Putting forth an extra spurt of speed, Zoro sprinted into the alleyway after it, and watched as the Demon threw the part of Tashigi's jacket it had been clutching down onto the floor and tried to climb over the barbed metal fence opposite. Zoro could see that beyond the fence was a used car garage; Zoro cursed as he realised he couldn't assault the Demon with his arms occupied behind his back with holding Tashigi.  
  
He set her down against the wall, trying not to be brusque in his urgency, and as the Demon landed nimbly over the fence Zoro took a running start and vaulted cleanly over the fence with one hand.  
  
Letting out a surprised gargle at the sight of Zoro hot on his heels, the Demon weaved through the cars, sending people scrambling as it shoved them onto the floor in its haste.  
  
Zoro ran in hot pursuit, his brow furrowing as he remembered the Archangel's words: _With mortal hands like yours, I'm afraid you can't hold a soul for longer than three seconds._  
  
"Three seconds, huh?" He mumbled, frowning, and as he jumped over a car the Demon had just somersaulted over it occurred to him that didn't matter. _As long as I don't knock it unconcious, I'll make it carry it for me. But how...?_ Zoro didn't really have as much confidence in controlling his strength when it came to random beat-the-crap-out... if only he had kept Tashigi's bokkens...  
  
Caught up in his thoughts, he almost collided with a man who was clearly a cleaner of the area; the words 'Waporu's Used Cars' were stamped across his shirt. Zoro realised the man was holding several useful tools, so instead of just running past he quickly said, "Thanks," before snatching a broomstick from the man.  
  
The Demon let out a frightened squeal as Zoro came charging up to it, and let out a shriek as Zoro brought the broomstick end smashing down onto its head. Unsteady, it was about to fall to the floor when Zoro dashed forward, the broomstick clattering behind him. His hand shot out and grabbed the Demon's hand; with one arm securely tucked around the Demon's throat, Zoro grabbed the hand the Demon had curled around something invisible.  
  
Zoro felt his face flush when the carpark suddenly resonated with cheers from the watching crowd. _Do they think I'm some sort of hero or something?! Yeesh...!_ However, it helped that they noticed because they let him through easily. The Demon struggled, but Zoro had him under his control; when they reached the fence, Zoro jumped onto the top of a car with the Demon before jumping over the fence.  
  
They landed a little uneasily, but Zoro's grip was firm so the Demon didn't even have a chance. Zoro hurried towards Tashigi, still thinking about how she had stopped making her pained moans and hoping it wasn't too late, and he quickly kneeled beside her crumpled form.  
  
Ignoring the Demon's pained screeches, Zoro forced the Demon to bend with him. Before he could take the soul from the Demon's hand, however, Tashigi opened her eyes. His jaw dropped open.  
  
"Tashigi?" He prompted, looking at her in surprise, but she gave him a terribly familiar, sad smile as she shook her head.  
  
"Think before you speak, loser." She said.

* * *

The roar of wind in Nami's ears ceased abruptly as Luffy intercepted her fall, his small arms grabbing hold of her. His firm grip quickly assured Nami she wasn't going to be killed from hitting the ground, and she was completely recovered by the time they landed. The wings on Luffy's back vanished in a whisk of golden feathers, and Luffy pulled himself out of his red jumper; Nami saw the back of the jumper torn right through from the wings.  
  
"I guess I shouldn't have put it back on when I grew small again," Luffy said thoughtfully as Nami watched him toss it into the nearest bin; a wistful look came into Luffy's eyes, and Nami followed his gaze. They were standing near the harbour, meaning they were close to GrandLine University... the salty smell in the air was enough to brim Nami's mind with memories.  
  
_Luffy, I **was** trying to take a break..._ Kale's voice came tiredly into Luffy's mind, and the captain of the Going Merry shook himself out of his reveries to say out loud apologetically,  
  
"I'm sorry, I just jumped. I wasn't really thinking..."  
  
_...What's new..._ Kale muttered.  
  
Before Nami had properly finished wondering what Luffy was apologising for, Cabodi came tearing out from the building lobby. His bulging eyes met Luffy and Nami standing by the railings over the sea, and he began to run towards them.  
  
Grabbing Luffy's arm, Nami began to run away.  
  
"Nami!! Oy, Nami! You can let go! I can take him on!!" Luffy cried indignantly, and Nami let out a snort.  
  
"Not in that puny body!" She snapped, and Luffy frowned.  
  
"Kale can make me grow up again! Can't you Kale?"  
  
_Er, not now. Right now... I think I only have enough energy to bring your rubber ability back... but definitely not your age. That requires a lot more--_  
  
"That's enough!!" Luffy yelled excitedly, "Just do it!!"  
  
"What? Did Kale say you can be seventeen?" Nami said, looking distractedly over her shoulder to see, with a chill down her spine, that Cabodi was gaining on them rather rapidly.  
  
"Not exactly, but that's okay!! Let-- go!!" He tried to wrench himself out of Nami's grip, but only succeeded in stretching his wrist. Nami let go in shock, having not witnessed anything like that for eighteen years.  
  
"You're stretching again!"  
  
"I just did on the roof, didn't you see?" He looked at her surprised face with a bit of a pout, and she narrowed her eyes.  
  
"I was a little distracted as I was being held over the edge of the building roof--"  
  
Nami was interrupted as Luffy and her leapt out of the way of a bench Cabodi had thrown. They stared as the Demon, seething at the fact it'd missed, simply picked up the next bench and chucked that at them too. The polished wood was crushed into pieces as it slammed onto the stone floor; Nami felt the Demon's eyes on her and stepped back away from it. She let out a gasp as her back hit the railings, and looked at the Demon uneasily.  
  
"Luffy...!" Nami called, craning her neck to look behind the Demon, and she felt a nerve twitch as Luffy was shown to be running towards the nearest lamp-post, enthusiastically ignoring her. "Damn it!"  
  
Nami dodged a swerve aimed at her head, and tried to duck under Cabodi's outstretched arms; however, the Demon seemed to have anticipated her movements and threw a kick at her stomach. Gasping, Nami gripped the railing for support, but the Demon did not wait for her to recover. It hit her squarely on the chest, sending her off her feet and balance; she was thrown over the railling, and with a cry of distress she fell into the ocean water with a loud splash.  
  
"Eh?" Luffy looked up from his position; his hands were on the lamp-post but his arms were stretched far enough to accumulate the tension he needed. Seeing no Nami made him feel a bit bad, but since she could swim he supposed, better her than him... "Sorry Nami!!" He cried, and looking at Cabodi he lifted his feet off the ground.  
  
He shot like a rocket towards Cabodi, head-butting him in the stomach and throwing him onto his back. However, the key to that move had mainly been his weight, and since Luffy was no longer a muscular seventeen year old but a lightweight twelve year old, the Demon hardly felt the impact Luffy had expected.  
  
It recovered immediately, grabbing Luffy's throat and bringing his eyes to level its own. Luffy cringed as he choked, his hands grasping at Cabodi's arms, and the Demon smirked as it looked straight into Luffy's eyes and saw the Angel inside.  
  
_It knows it can't win a Gold Angel that easily,_ Kale's confused voice sounded in Luffy's head, _So why is it grinning?!_  
  
The answer to that was almost immediate as Luffy felt Cabodi's grip tighten. The Demon jerked its head towards the sea, gave a jerk with Luffy's body with its arm, chewing its tongue with a maniacal glint in its eyes. Luffy felt a strongly familiar sensation grip him. Before he could really think about it, the Demon had already thrown Luffy with all its might towards the ocean over the railing, letting out a high pitched shriek of laughter.

* * *

**A/N: Man, it's been a while. So much of a while I had to reread everything I wrote. As I did that I saw how much of it was just so awful. Really. Sorry to put you through that... I mean, it was just so melodramatic, even for me (and I wrote it!!)   
I also noticed how weird the format gets. I was always thinking of reformatting everything, but I think I'll finish the actual story first before I do that. Yes... I thought about my website for 'Reborn'. I had the webpage art done and everything... just... I decided not to put that up until I complete the actual fanfic first. It's been two years... and I haven't finished this!  
I can't believe myself... The exams really did make me stop, but I could have picked up anytime... I think what was happening is that this fanfic was becoming somewhat of a burden to me. I didn't want that to happen, but I sometimes felt as though I didn't want to write...   
These days I'm drawing more than I'm writing, too. But you know... I realised I've gotten so much support for this fanfic, from so many people... and once I reread it, I remembered what inspired me to write this fic in the first place. So inspiration and motivation back in place, I'll try my best to complete this fanfic, even if no one's going to read it. No question about that. I'll try to complete the next chapter by the end of the next week. Wish me luck...! I'll probably write out the rest faster, since they won't have nearly as much action... and the fic is going to finally start drawing to a close...! XD!! Squee.  
As a side note, doesn't allow so much in the formatting I'm getting a tad bit irritated when performing scene breaks. Grrrr.**   
  



	55. Healing Rain

The skies swirled crazily before Luffy's eyes; it was happening way too fast for him to comprehend the situation. The dull pearl and mauve streaked sky plunged suddenly into the glistening ocean surface. Suddenly, what was happening clicked in Luffy's mind; he screwed his eyes shut and prepared for the icy cold of the water to envelope him.  
  
Inches above the dark waves, however, Luffy stopped.  
  
He opened his eyes in surprise, and in a split second discovered his hands were still clinging tightly to Cabodi's wrist. The next split second he was jerked back and zooming straight towards a very surprised looking Demon. Not that Luffy wasn't surprised, either.  
  
"AAAAAHHHH!!"  
  
"SKREEEEE!!!"  
  
It was with a painful smack into Cabodi's jaw that Luffy sprung back; stunned, the Demon staggered and tried to regain its grip on the mortal body. Although Luffy hadn't recovered, however, Kale switched conciousness in a flash; picking himself off the ground quickly, he rushed towards Cabodi and slammed his hand down onto Cabodi's chest.  
  
It wheezed loudly, but lacked the strength to stop Kale commanding in Divine Language, "OUT!"  
  
The Demon hissed and shrieked, but in a burst of gold light the Demon left Cabodi's body in a crumpled heap beside the railings. Before it cast itself away to another dimension, however, the Demon's claws tore from the ocean a small black marble that had fallen from Luffy's pocket; then, screeching with anguish, it left.  
  
_Why didn't you do that earlier?_ Came Luffy's astounded voice. Kale groaned.  
  
"I don't have the strength to answer your stupid questions," Kale retorted, standing up. He dusted himself off, then slid into deep slumber at the back of Luffy's mind.  
  
"Geez, if Kale could do that, he could have done that ages ago!" Luffy muttered.  
  
"I'm s-sure it's no-not that s-si-simple." Luffy turned to see Nami, soaked to the skin and looking extremely weary. She stared at the skies and gave a small shiver.  
  
"Are you cold?"  
  
"F-Freezing," Nami admitted, wringing salty water out of her hair, "We b-better g-go help S-Sanji-k-kun out and g-go ba-back quick b-be-before I die out h-here. B-Besides, it loo-looks like r-rain."  
  
Luffy looked at Nami curiously. "You seem more Nami now than you were yesterday," he declared. Nami blinked, her teeth chattering uncontrollably from the cold.  
  
"I... realised a c-couple of th-things." She said, and started walking, dripping water as she did. Luffy walked with her towards the direction of the building they had been on the roof of.  
  
"I knew you just needed a little help," He said with a hearty laugh and a wide grin. She arched an eyebrow.  
  
"R-Really? Why d-didn't you help m-m-me yourself b-back th-then?"  
  
A drop of rain fell on Nami's head; she looked up, grimacing slightly at her own accuracy, when Luffy said cheerfully,  
  
"Hey, you said it yourself! I couldn't help you then. You needed someone else's help."  
  
Nami stared at the small boy, then let out a snort. "B-Back in our other l-life, you a-a-acted like a k-kid in an o-older b-body. This life, you act l-like an o-older per-person in a k-kid's body. Make up your m-mind, y-you we-weirdo."  
  
Luffy blinked innocently at her as a light drizzle began to fall, smiling childishly before saying airily, "I have no idea what you're talking about."  
  
"Like you e-ever did." Nami said, but she wasn't scowling; on the contrary, she was giving Luffy a warm look she remembered having when he'd liberated her village from Arlong Park.  
  
"It doesn't really matter, does it?" He asked, and Nami laughed shakily.  
  
"No, it d-doesn't." She let out a sharp sneeze and gave a violent shiver. Luffy looked at Nami, but before any concern could settle on his features, something suddenly occurred to him.  
  
"Aa!" He said in realisation.

* * *

When Usopp regained some feeling back into his limbs, he pulled his face out from being mashed into the grass and dirt. His forehead was bleeding somewhere profusely, and his legs were trembling so violently it took great effort to stand.  
  
_Come on, Usopp... you can do this..._ He gripped the wall, trying to get some air back into his lungs, when he heard Kaya scream. Momentarily forgetting his pain, Usopp hurried away from the wall, looking around wildly to try and figure where the noise was from. A heavy creaking noise from above caught his attention, and he snapped his head up to see Kaya dangling from the edge of the roof on her fingertips, Krow's menacing figure towering above her.  
  
Usopp thrust his hand into his pocket to pull out a large marble, fumbling at his pocket in his panic before managing to pull out his blood-stained 'kerchief. The cat-claws on Krow's fingers flashed beneath the pearly sky.  
  
"Die." Krow hissed, his blades hovering above Kaya's stricken face.  
  
"DIE!!" Usopp yelled out of the top of his lungs. He threw his arm forward with all the strength he could muster. The large marble shot through the air and caught Krow squarely between the eyes. Stumbling atop the roof, Krow let out a growl that fell quiet before falling backwards onto the roof. Next second, he'd fallen clean through the hole he'd created, landing painfully onto the attic floor.  
  
Before Kaya could say anything, her fingers lost their strength and slipped. Usopp's eyes widened.  
  
"Kaya!!" Burst out of his mouth, and he lunged himself forward. She fell into his outstretched arms, and his shoes dug into the soil before he crashed onto the grass. For a moment, they did not say anything, and simply tried to get their breath back.  
  
A soft rain had started to fall upon the grass before Kaya finally looked into Usopp's eyes and spoke.  
  
"Are you okay?" She whispered. She felt stupid for asking such an obvious question; his legs were bleeding, a cut on his forehead was bleeding, his nose and his lip were bleeding, his arms were bleeding and he looked as though he were about to pass out. But she simply did not know how else to start.  
  
"I'm fine." He said quietly. He looked at her, and said in surprise, "You're bleeding."  
  
Kaya felt his eyes on the wound on her collar-bone, where glass had torn into her skin earlier on, and felt a twinge in her chest at the look of deep, genuine concern in his eyes. Her hands, which had been clasped and resting on her stomach, now loosened themselves to grip his clothes tightly.  
  
_Is that all you're going to acknowledge? Me?_ She heard his demanding voice in her head once more...  
  
_"Why did you come?! Didn't I tell you run away?! They're after your life!"_  
  
After what the village had done to him... after what _she_ had done to him... all he was worried about was her. And just like now, he'd been bleeding...  
  
_"But Usopp-san is fighting...We did all those horrible things to you... but you're still fighting to a point you can't even stand...!"_  
  
"That's... because I'm a brave sea...!"  
  
And to the end, he'd still tried to make her believe what he was going through was nothing to be worried about...  
  
_You've always just acknowledged me, haven't you..._  
  
Usopp looked down in surprise at violet eyes filling with tears and concern, and another emotion Usopp found familiar... confusion. For a split second, the emotions evaded Usopp as her eyes locked with his. _She's so pretty... GAHH! What am I thinking?!_ The emotions registered on Usopp, and he frowned slightly.  
  
"Is something wrong?" He asked. He was startled when she pressed a hand against his cheek; the cool raindrops now sliding down his face contrasted against the warmth in her fingers. The rain was gently cleansing the blood from him; her thumb wiped a trickle of blood down the side of his face with ease.  
  
"Usopp-san... what about yourself?" She said, her voice trembling slightly. He blinked.  
  
"Me? What about me?"  
  
Kaya closed her eyes and shook her head; she didn't know how to express herself. What about Usopp? As she thought about how to phrase her answer, she felt his hand on her cheek. She opened her eyes in surprise, and felt his thumb rub at the hot tears sliding down.  
  
"Why are you crying?" He asked worriedly. Then he added reassuringly, "I'm sure Merii is okay."  
  
"It's not that." Kaya said quietly. He raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Then why are you crying?"  
  
"Because..." Kaya swallowed before she continued softly, "... someone doesn't realise how great he is."  
  
Usopp blinked again. Shutting her eyes once more, Kaya leant forward; Usopp felt his fingers slide off her cheek into her hair before he was shocked out of his wits. Her lips brushed against his for a second.  
  
It was as though several bolts of lightning had crashed onto Usopp all at once; for a moment, he couldn't even breathe.  
  
She nestled her head against his shoulder, her arms wrapping around him.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered. She could feel her heart beating madly at her own daring, and felt a jolt of surprise when she felt his chest thumping hard and fast against hers. A rosy blush spread across her features, and she hugged him more tightly.  
  
Usopp couldn't respond; the amount of blood rushing to his face was abnormal. He could feel her skin against his throat, and her hair tickled his chin; he was suddenly aware of how warm her body was in his arms...  
  
The rain rapidly prickled his warmed skin with cool drops, and though it took a considerable while, he regained normal enough temperature to speak properly.  
  
"We should call the ambulance for your manager." He squeaked. Well, somewhat properly.

* * *

Zoro stared at her, his eyes wide and his mouth open. He was at a complete loss for words.  
  
"You've grown a lot," She said conversationally. Zoro still didn't say anything, and she rolled her eyes. "Well, I wasn't expecting a speech or anything, but honestly... is this all you can do? Stare at me?"  
  
She imitated a gormless expression before shaking her head and smiling at him. The smile was tinged with sadness.  
  
"Kuina." Zoro finally managed. She averted her eyes from him as she sighed,  
  
"Zoro."  
  
"Kuina... did I... I mean... are you okay?"  
  
"Do you _think_ I'm okay?!" She burst out suddenly, looking at him furiously and startling him, "When you died, I was _trying_ to go Up since our world was a little frozen, but you kept calling my name! When I went to see what you were doing, you pulled me in with you-- and now look!"  
  
Rolling her eyes, she gestured at herself as said disgustedly, "And now, after spending ages in your body, you kick me out into _this_ one. What the hell?!"  
  
"I-- I didn't mean to kick you out!" Zoro exclaimed. She shrugged, sighing again. It started to rain.  
  
"I know. You did it to save this girl's butt. At least I get to talk to you properly, huh?"  
  
There was a short pause. So many things were rushing through Zoro's mind all at once... their last fight, her early death, Mihawk, his progression, their promise, his own promise... He opened his mouth and started to say, "I'm--"  
  
"Don't be."  
  
He looked at her in surprise, and she shrugged. "You were gonna say you were sorry, weren't you? Whatever for?"  
  
_...Because I'm alive, and you're not..._  
  
"...Just."  
  
The rain had thickened; raindrops were now dripping off their bangs and soaking their clothes. Neither of them took much notice. Kuina looked at him for a moment, an eyebrow arched. Then she said suddenly, as though this had just occurred to her, "Do you think I'm mad at you?"  
  
Zoro frowned slightly. "I don't know. Are you?"  
  
_How could I be mad at fate?_  
  
"I'm going to be really annoyed at you if you're sorry, for sure. Sorry for what? Making our promise? Losing against Mihawk?"  
  
"It's none of that!" He interrupted, his face flushing unnaturally, "And how do you know about that?" She snorted.  
  
"Did you think you could hide it from me? It was a pathetic fight. You were far from your goal... you really over-estimated yourself." He glared at her, and she shrugged. "Just being honest. Rather me tell you that you were fantastic?"  
  
"Shut up." He muttered, and she smiled again.  
  
"...You were, Zoro. Fantastic, I mean." He blinked, surprised at her smile now. It looked a lot more happier. "You'll become even more so in the future."  
  
He didn't say anything. Kuina's eyes softened as she said quietly, "I don't blame you for anything, Zoro. It's..." She looked at him directly in the eyes as she said firmly, "It's not your fault I died. You know that, right?"  
  
He felt a jolt in him at the words, and suddenly realised her eyes were always sad, not because Zoro could do what she couldn't, but because she couldn't do what Zoro could. He saw the difference.  
  
His eyes lightened, and she smiled a very different smile.  
  
"Good."  
  
"Kuina," Zoro said suddenly, his tone quiet but thoughtfully, "I swear I'll--"  
  
The Demon let out a sudden screech as it tried to break free of Zoro's grasp; letting out a surprised yelp, Zoro rammed his elbow into the Demon's face. The human the Demon had been in lost conciousness and slumped over, and the hand that was holding Tashigi's soul suddenly relaxed and opened. The Demon flitted away.  
  
Zoro's eyes widened. He grabbed at the soul at reflex, and felt a strong warmth pulsating through his rain-soaked fingers. He turned to Tashigi's body, panic and anguish written on his face as he tried to say what he wanted quickly. "I swear--"  
  
_I'll do my best to do everything you wanted to do. I'll try and be everything you wanted to be. I'll fulfill my promise and be the strength of not just the best swordsman in the world, but two of them. I'll..._  
  
**...you can't hold a soul for longer than three seconds...**  
  
Zoro tried to cram everything into his mouth all at once but failed to say a word. Tashigi's soul was cradled tightly in his hands, and seeing Zoro was not thinking of the soul at the particular moment, Kuina grabbed at Zoro's hands and pulled Tashigi's soul towards her. Panicking as he realised there was no time left, he blurted out, "I'll never lose again!!"  
  
"Good." She repeated with a smirk, and as Tashigi's soul rolled off Zoro's fingertips and into Tashigi's body, Kuina leant forward. She whispered in his ear, "Don't you dare forget me."  
  
A sudden blaze of warmth re-entered his palms, and he realised this was Kuina's soul. Tashigi jerked back suddenly as Zoro slid Kuina carefully back into himself before he turned his attention to the girl before him once more. Tashigi pressed her hands to her head, letting out a groan. As she opened her eyes and looked ahead of her, she let out a gasp of surprise at the sight of Zoro staring at her.  
  
"Wha-- Zoro?!"  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked, and she blinked rainwater out of her eyes several times before squinting. Seeing this, Zoro reached into his pocket and pulled out her glasses, and handed it to her. She frowned as she took them, not just from trying to recall how she'd gotten there but from the fact the glasses were pretty much ruined. She stuck them in her own pocket before asking,  
  
"Where are we?" Suddenly, she remembered the possessed mob. "Oh! Where are those-- those strange people?!" She looked around hurriedly, as though she expected to see them pop out from behind Zoro.  
  
"Long story." Zoro said, and he stood up. She followed, albeit a little shakily, but she let out a sudden cry. Turning scarlet, she wrapped her arms protectively around herself as she demanded hotly,  
  
"What happened to my clothes?!"  
  
"Er... long story?" He tried to say lightly. It didn't work.  
  
"You think that answer suffices?! And-- and you just let me be this way the entire time I was unconcious?!!"  
  
"Well, yeah, but--"  
  
_SLAP._  
  
"IT WASN'T INTENTIONAL!! I was given a bloody time limit, geez!!"  
  
"Time limit?!"  
  
"Long story." She was looking murderous, so he said hastily lest she slap him yet again, "Look, I'll explain to you as we walk or something, okay? I don't find sitting in a little alleyway chatting in the rain that appealing."  
  
"Fine." She muttered. He gave a resigned sigh before suddenly starting to peel off his soaked shirt.  
  
"Zoro, what are you doing?! I know it's wet, but do that when you're indoors!! Wha--" Tashigi spluttered, going redder, when he threw the shirt at her. It hit her face with a wet smack during mid-splutter.  
  
"Put it on, you moron," He snapped, "I'll live without a shirt to GLU."  
  
She seemed about to retort, but restrained herself. She pulled the shirt on with a little difficulty, but managed; the collar looked dishevelled and she buttoned up the shirt along the wrong holes without noticing, but nevertheless it looked much better than her ruined top.  
  
"Thank you." She said sincerely, her face still scarlet. He shrugged, and she tried to avoid looking at his bare torso as they splashed their way out of the alleyway before starting their way back towards GLU. Not that it stopped any other people staring; a couple of girls let out several appreciative giggles.  
  
"Er, let's get back quickly," Tashigi said pointedly, and Zoro responded by walking faster.

* * *

"NAMI-SAAAAAAAN!!!"  
  
Nami and Luffy both blinked as Sanji came splashing through the heavy rain towards them. When he reached them, his eyes were completely trained on Nami.  
  
"Hey, so you took care of everything! I knew you would." Luffy chirped, and he walked on ahead, not really caring at the fact Sanji hadn't really listened to a word he'd said.  
  
Looking at Nami, he impulsively held her shoulders and took a good look at her. "Are you okay?" He asked, looking so sincere and worried Nami couldn't suppress a smile.  
  
"I'm f-fine! I was w-with Luffy, re-remember?" For a moment, Sanji didn't do anything but simply gaze at her. Nami blinked rapidly to get the rainwater out of her eyes, but Sanji's face wasn't moving a muscle as he just looked at her intently. Feeling a little uncomfortable on the serious intensity Sanji was heaping on her, Nami started to say, "Sanji-ku--"  
  
Her voice was smothered as Sanji pulled her into a hug. Nami blinked, stunned. His fingers thread through her long hair as his head nestled closely to her own; though her arms were rather mashed up between his body and her chest, she didn't really mind. She surprised herself by feeling pleasantly warmed by his body, though it occurred to her it was because she was freezing.  
  
For a moment, she let him just hold her. She felt somehow that maybe he really needed it; then she felt something hot and wet fall on her neck that was not rain, and he let out a choked noise. Pulling herself out of his grip, she stared at him incredulously.  
  
"Why are you c-crying?! I'm fine, a-aren't I??"  
  
"It's j-just that I was s-s-so wo-worried!!" Sanji blubbered, streaming tears, "And now y-you're here in front of m-me so I'm just so-- so _glad_!!"  
  
"Y-You're a grown man! Stop that!" Nami commanded, thwacking him, and he tried to stop crying. Sighing, Nami pulled one of his arms over her shoulders and started walking after Luffy towards GrandLine University.  
  
"You're so cold..." Sanji said in surprise, finally feeling her cold skin, and she shook her head to dismiss it.  
  
"It's nothing," She began, when Sanji interrupted,  
  
"No! It's not nothing! You shouldn't dismiss anything about yourself, ever!! You're too important for that. Remember that!"  
  
Nami stared at his stubborn face in surprise, then let out a sigh. "F-Fine. Have it y-your way, Sanji-k-kun."  
  
"It's not just my way! We all care about you, Nami-san..." His grip on her shoulder tightened as he said firmly, "If you're cold, we must do something about it!"  
  
"Like g-get b-back to GLU, right? We're d-doing that now! Stop f-fussing like a g-grandmother or so-something." Nami looked away from his unconvinced expression. They walked in silence for a few seconds, before Nami suddenly said, "S-Sanji-kun?"  
  
"Nn?"  
  
"Thanks for w-worrying about m-me." He looked at her in surprise, and though she was looking ahead of her and rather pointedly not at him, there was no mistaking the blush that had spread across her cheeks.  
  
_She's... embarrassed to say thank you? She... She...!_ A hot blush filled Sanji's own face as he thought, and not for the first time either, _She's so cute!!!_  
  
"It's no problem!!" Sanji burst out happily, his heart singing from the simple joy of seeing Nami blush. She smiled at him.

* * *

As the rain fell hard, none of them seemed to realise their pains were gently ebbing away. Rainte, high above them all, chuckled as he saw that none of them noticed. Angels were returning back to Heaven from Dimension 900Z, and Archangels Luce and Solare popped up through the clouds beside Rainte.  
  
"God doesn't do send Healing Rain for every Dimension. Guess those guys are special, huh?"  
  
"They are," Luce said tiredly beside him, smiling, and Solare beside her laughed.  
  
"Yeah, well, they're not the most intelligent lifeforms ever," Solare said, "but they are very special."

* * *

A/N: Relatively short chapter, I know. Formatting has become a pain up the bum. Anyway... resolution chapters! Finally, huh? ; I know it took a while... I was procrastinating. :P I'll try my best to get the following chapters up soon. Yay!! Yay!! Yay!! :D  
  



	56. Subtle Changes

  
  
"Merii, stop apologising," Kaya said, but her words did nothing to quail the wails that were issuing from her manager's mouth as he was carried away on a stretcher.  
  
"I f-failed to pro-protect Miss Kaya!!" He blubbered, "And the d-d-danger was right in front of m-my face!! What would her p-parents s-say?! Forgive me!!!"  
  
"No one could have seen through that madman," Usopp tried to say consolingly, but was pulled down by Merii who sobbed,  
  
"But you did! You s-saved her! Thank you, thank you--" Then he yanked Usopp's ear down to his mouth and sobbed, "Only you saw through Captain Krow-- I'm sorry!"  
  
Before he could react the manager was pulled into the ambulance by parademics who were looking rather disgruntled at how much noise their wounded patient was making. Usopp watched speechlessly as the ambulance doors shut, thinning out Merii's final wail, before taking off.  
  
Kaya let out a soft sigh, bringing Usopp's attention to her as she shook her head.  
  
"All this over a will," She muttered, and Usopp cocked an eyebrow. "You know the land tycoon Theodore Flint, right? He left some land to Krow, but he changed the will last minute and left the land to his son before he died. His son had the will, and Krow found out where he was, and then..."  
  
Usopp blinked. "I didn't even know Theodore Flint had a son... poor guy was murdered?"  
  
"In a motel room. He had the new will in his hands."  
  
"How do you know that? The fact that Flint had another will was in the papers, but it was never found, right? That's why people deemed it as a rumour?"  
  
"It's not a rumour," Kaya said grimly, "Krow handed me some witness papers but he must have gotten confused someplace. He gave me the new will instead. That's why he was after me... he wanted to destroy the evidence..."  
  
"Oh. Then it's not really about the will, is it?" Usopp mused, and Kaya looked at him confusedly.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"That man's a perfectionist, Kaya... He's obsessed with flawless execution. He'd kill for perfection..."  
  
Suddenly, Usopp's cellphone rang shrilly from his pocket; he fished it out.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Usopp!" Nami's voice exclaimed; Usopp was struck by how enthusiastic she sounded.  
  
"Nami! Are you okay?! I thought you were sick."  
  
"Not anymore." She said confidently, and Usopp blinked in surprise. _Did something happen?_ Correctly interpreting his silence, Nami said briefly, "Long story. Listen, I think we need a conference - big time. Care to drop by GLU tonight?"  
  
"Er, sure..." He looked at himself, still soaked from the rain, the back of his pants drenched in mud. His wounds were not nearly as bad as he'd thought they'd be, and the paramedics had already tended to some of the more severe ones. But where his blood had spilled on his clothes was a rusty stain. In short, he looked a mess. "...I might take a while..."  
  
"Same here. It doesn't matter, just get your ass here at some point today."  
  
As Usopp asked curiously, "Will you tell me this long story when I see you?" Kaya looked at Usopp's cracked glasses sliding down his too long nose, his too long face, his small round eyes and messy ponytail. She smiled, murmuring, "I think imperfection is perfection."  
  
"It might bore you. See ya." Nami hung up. Usopp slid the phone back into his pocket, looking at Kaya as he asked,  
  
"Did you say something?"  
  
She smiled. "Not really."  
  
"I guess I'll get going then," Usopp began, when she reached out and held him back.  
  
"Won't you stay for a little bit?" She said timidly.  
  
"Er, well--" Usopp said, a little startled and embarrassedly pleased at her request, "it's not like I mind but-- well, I'm filthy."  
  
"I'm sure you can clean yourself up here," She said quickly, her cheeks flushing pink. He blinked, then a loud growl sounded from somewhere around his stomach. He blushed, laughing as he admitted,  
  
"Well, I am hungry."  
  
She tugged at his arm with a small laugh that caught his attention immediately; he found the corners of his own mouth lifting on their own accord as she held him to her with surprising strength, leading him back to her house. "Right this way, Usopp-san."  
  
He found himself thinking that there was no justice in her claims that everything courageous and great in her could be attributed to himself. He'd only prodded, but what really shone was her own choices. She caught him studying her in deep concentration.  
  
"What is it?" She asked, determined not to blush - she'd done that too many times already, it couldn't be healthy! He had no qualms in flushing himself, however, as he gave a half shrug and a smile.  
  
"Just thinking how I lucky I am."  
  
She couldn't stop herself heating up after that.

* * *

"Kale!"  
  
At the sound of his name, he awoke. Taking over conciousness from a rather disgruntled Luffy, he turned around and squinted. Through the light haze of drizzle Rendel could be seen splashing across puddles to meet him. He grinned widely with just a hint of relief, albeit a little tiredly.  
  
"You're all right."  
  
"Of course I am," She huffed, "I think the person to worry about is you."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Your body is younger than mine."  
  
"Yes, but my mentality reigns over yours. What kind of moron goes and nearly gets himself killed after being promoted to Gold Angel status?! Seriously, that is beyond just lacking."  
  
There was a small pause as Kale's eye twitched; then with a roll of his eyes and a sigh, he shrugged. "Fine. Have it your way." There was something more than just annoyance in his tone when he said that. He started to walk through the light drizzle, when Rendel abruptly grabbed at his arm.  
  
"What is it??" He said irritably, spinning around, when he saw her looking straight at him with her silver eyes, her expression genuinely apologetic.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said, and Kale was surprised to find her voice brimming with hesitant honesty, "I know you were just concerned. So was I, okay? After I saw you take that beating--"  
  
"--it didn't hurt a bit, it was nothing--"  
  
"Shut up for a second, Kale. Look, after you took all those blows for me, I still made a stupid insult as soon as I saw you... I can't seem to stop talking back at times, it's a stupid habit." A pause, and she repeated sincerely, "I'm sorry."  
  
"...It doesn't matter." Rendel blinked, surprised to see Kale looking somewhat uncomfortable. He prised her hand off his arm, and there was a short silence. The drizzle was thinning out by the time he finally remarked, "I could use a drink."  
  
"...So could I."  
  
A few minutes later, they were seated on benches in front of Eighty-Twelve, sipping soft drinks and munching candy bars in more silence.  
  
"I'm--"  
  
"I want--"  
  
They glanced at each other in surprise as their voices broke the silence in unison. Rendel gestured for him to speak first, and he swallowed.  
  
"I just... wanted to say I'm sorry, too."  
  
She frowned. "For what?"  
  
"For... not protecting you in time. Your wings--" She waved his words away, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Don't fret about them. I'll probably be able to do something about it when we're back Upstairs."  
  
"But it hurt, didn't it?" He said softly, and she paused before nodding slowly.  
  
"Anything that evil near me hurts." She muttered, and Kale sighed.  
  
"Those jerks... or should I say, that jerk. That mother-#$ing--" He stopped suddenly, wincing, and Rendel couldn't help a snort of laughter escaping her. He shot her a dirty look, and he flinched suddenly again. This time a laugh burst out of her mouth, and for a while she couldn't stop.  
  
"I've been telling you for ages to wash your mouth out, and it looks like you can't even _think_ of unholy words now you've been promoted! Serves you right!"  
  
He seemed to be struggling between yelling at her and keeping silent as her giggles started to subside. Deciding to drop it and continue what he'd been saying, he continued with great patience, "Valkrief. He's not going to be happy when his Demons failed him."  
  
For once ignoring Kale's nickname for Valandi Kriquelleif, Rendel's smile slid off her face as this thought registered. After a moment, she said broodingly, "I don't think he's going to stay still on this one."  
  
"Neither do I," Kale groaned, "Yeesh... the guys under my care already have a lot to do without him going berserk on the world. Knowing him, he'll go berserk on _us_."  
  
"I'm sure God'll let us know what to do," Rendel said reassuringly, "we just need to wait and see."  
  
They crunched more chocolate for a while, before Kale asked, "What was it you were going to tell me?"  
  
"Oh, that." Kale could have sworn Rendel looked embarrassed, but the look brushed off as quickly as it had come. "I wanted to thank you. For protecting me." He looked at her incredulously, but when he opened his mouth she smacked it painfully shut. She glared daggers at him. "Don't you dare go on some stupid rant, saying you couldn't stop them ripping my wings off! It wasn't your fault, you moron. You tried."  
  
He didn't say anything as he rubbed his chin where she had thwacked him, though he was pouting. She looked intently at him for the longest of moments, then seemed to tighten her resolve. Leaning over and closing her eyes, she kissed him gently on the cheek. He stared at her as she pulled away, raising a knuckle to rub at his cheek... then made a face.  
  
"You imprinted chocolate onto my face, you dumbass."  
  
"Sorry." She snapped shortly.  
  
They were looking away from each other, and failed to notice that they were both bright red.

* * *

"Sanji-kun, what time is it?"  
  
Wiping rainwater from his eyes now that they were safely in the GrandLine University's foyer, he flicked the face of his wristwatch upwards and reported, "It's a little past three."  
  
"Already?! Geez..."  
  
"Are you hungry?" Sanji chirped, "If you want, I'll whip up something for you in a flash, no problem!"  
  
"Mmm." She said non-commitically, deep in thought. _Today's Friday... I'd usually be in the lecture hall by now, but no way in hell do I feel like listening now... Vivi's going to be in there now though..._  
  
"Nami-san?" Sanji prompted nervously, and she glanced at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are you not hungry?"  
  
"I'm starving." She replied, sighing, "but I'd like to do something first."  
  
"What is it? Is it something I can help you with?" He asked eagerly, and she studied him for a moment. _I'd prefer Vivi's help, but she won't be back until six... and I want to do this **now**._  
  
"Hmm... I guess I have no choice. Sanji-kun, will you do me a big favour?"  
  
"Anything!" He sang joyously.  
  
A few minutes later, the two were in Nami's dormitory, with Sanji looking around a little nervously and Nami rummaging about looking for something. "Grrrgh, I should have known trashing the room would result in this sort of situation," She growled to herself as she threw various pieces of stationery, books and paper into the air behind her. Sanji set about nimbly catching the items, like Vivi's stapler, Nami's graphic calculator and psychology textbooks, trying to figure out exactly what she wanted.  
  
After several more minutes of Sanji swiftly swiping and setting onto the bed a mountain of objects that seemed to comprise of half the contents of the room, he finally asked her, "What are you looking for?"  
  
"Something," She muttered, her eyes sweeping over the room vaguely before suddenly doubling back onto something on the bed. She let out a shriek that startled Sanji out of his wits before she zoomed forward and grabbed something off the bed, before shoving a black lacy bra under his nose. Amazingly enough, she not only managed to stash it out of sight quick as lightning, but she also did it without her eyes ever leaving Sanji's face nor her feet leaving her firmly planted stand on the ground.  
  
"You could have said something!!" She snarled viciously, her eyes blazing and her teeth gnashed. Sanji tried not to react to the undergarment as much as to her fiery anger, but he couldn't help but flush as he stammered quite honestly,  
  
"I didn't notice your-- uhm, the-- that, and I--I don't think it's such a terrible-- er, thing, to display in public?" There was a moment of silence before Sanji blurted out, "I didn't mean that at all!! I meant that-- EEEK!" He let out a rather girly shriek as Nami suddenly brandished a pair of extremely sharp looking and shiny scissors before his very eyes, her eyes gleaming from its reflected light.  
  
"I'm sorry!!" He wailed, "I'm so sorry!! Forgive me, Na--"  
  
"SHUT UP!!" She hollered, and she made a sudden movement with her scissors-clutched fist, and unintentionally threatening to stick it up his left nostril by doing so; he let out a cry of horror as he leapt away from her instinctively. This reaction was immediately followed by a loud THUNK as Nami proceeded to thwack his skull with her scissor-free fist.  
  
"Open your eyes, you dummy, I've forgotten about the bra." Sanji's eyes flew open when their screwed up state to see the clear plastic handles of the scissors being offered to be in a pacifying manner. He took the scissors with a half sheepish and half curious look; she did not explain herself but simply spun around, stalked into the bathroom and out of sight.  
  
She did not take long, however; before he had even started guessing what he was doing with a pair of scissors, she reappeared with a towel thrown over her shoulders. He watched her deftly tug the clips out of her hair and set them on the cluttered desk before throwing a newspaper onto a clear area of the floor. Then she chucked at him a comb that he struggled to get hold of with the wrong hand, and ended up juggling the comb and scissors while she dragged a chair over to the newspaper and sat down in it. "Come here, Sanji-kun."  
  
He approached her from the back, the comb and the scissors securely held in one hand each now. Realisation dawned on him as he found himself face to face wth his own reflection; Nami had dragged the chair facing a half-length mirror next to the desk.  
  
"Nami-san... You really want to go back now, don't you?"  
  
Rather than reply directly, Nami's reflection answered off-handedly, "You know how long I need it, right?"  
  
His reflection nodded back slowly. She felt his fingers thread through her hair gently, his eyes trained on her tangerine head with sheer concentration; then she felt the comb brush lightly against her scalp. She nearly jumped when she felt a warm knuckle press against the back of her neck. _It's just Sanji-kun,_ She thought irritably, but as her eyes trailed up to Sanji's reflection, she could see -- and sense -- his immense tenderness. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on keeping still and doing her best to ignore the voice in her head that was swooning almost as badly as Sanji did at times.  
  
She felt the comb run through a lock of hair several times before finally, the sound of blades coming apart met her ears. Into the silence, a sharp snipping sound cut through, and the first furl of orange floated gently to the newspaper.  
  
Sanji chanced a look towards the mirror. Her reflection did not look back at him, but he thought he caught a refreshed smile.

* * *

The cluster of leathery wings and claws visibly shrinks under the sudden, fiery wind that sweeps through the throng. A deadly, soft voice questions, "Pray tell what you are all doing here."  
  
A flitter of exchanged glances, a terrified whimper quickly stifled. The voice hardens gradually as it asks, "Answer me when I ask you something. _What gives you the right to reside in my presence?_"  
  
The rise of colourful screeching and pleading is immediately silenced with a fierce howl of anger that seems to come from the very centre of the room. Before the white and bulging eyes swiveling towards the wretched cry that rips from one of the demon's throats, a monstrous figure of dark ink bursts from the ground to seize the screaming demon and plunges it back down below the ground with it. Without a glance back, all demons rise and flee as one, terrified as they fly towards and disappear in the shadows that stretch across the expanse of the banished dimension.  
  
All the demons, except one.  
  
One demon steps forward, trembling, fearful and cautious. Icy disdain illuminates Valandi Kriquelleif's piercing gaze upon this single demon, and in a rush of darkness it is almost as if the demon has been swallowed up by Valandi Kriquelleif's shadow.  
  
But the demon is not, and the demon raises its claws, its white eyes threatening to part company from their sockets. The demon shakes uncontrollably as if offers a small black marble towards the luminous glare from the darkness.  
  
A scream tears through the entire dimension, but it is not one of horror or anguish. It is one of excitement, of triumph.  
  
Valandi Kriquelleif grasps the marble, and a wide leer splits his face, his face flushing deeply in exhillaration.  
  
_Yes!! I can finally get away from these accursed quarters!!_  
  
The marble levitates from Kriquelleif's grip and loses its solid quality. It looks liquid as ebony and blood-red swirl sluggishly in a barely controlled sphere. It begins to swell and expand as the Fallen Angel begins to howl with high-pitched laughter, the crimson in the sphere reflecting in his eyes and causing them to gleam.

* * *

** Author's Note: I wonder if anyone is still reading this? I suppose it's really about time I finished this thing, and I guess it's pretty close to its end anyway. This was a short chapter, mainly because I couldn't find that much to write about resolution to be frank. Zoro and Tashigi's bit should take up a majority of the next chapter, though perhaps it may not. I can't wait to get this done, it's killing my conscience. Everyone should thank my sister for reminding me I actually wrote this fic in the first place. Ahck! I'm a lazy bum.  
  
Alright, I read dragonadare's review, as I'm sure one or two of you (literally) may know from my rather energetic response in my biography. I took it down because it suddenly occurred to me dragonadare doesn't _really_ care, so neither should I.  
  
But I hope this does bring light to some of you that this really isn't a serious piece of literature, so mistakes should be easy to spot, and so don't hesitate to tell me off if I have done something stupid. Go ahead and tell me. I know I'm not perfect, but I'll give glaring mistakes a good tweak.  
  
Enough senseless babbling from me. Hope I finish this before One Piece ends or something, eek.  
  
**


	57. Taking the Plunge

  
  
Tashigi let out a shriek of frustration, startling Zoro next to her.  
  
"I don't believe this! I don't have the key!!"  
  
"You were kidnapped," Zoro said pointedly, not exactly trying to sound sincere, "I think I'd find it a little weird if you remembered to pick up the key on your way out _unconcious._"  
  
"Shut up," Tashigi snapped, huffing before rapping her knuckles smartly against the door. Zoro watched her slender figure shiver violently beneath his soaked shirt, and saw her eyebrow twitch in irritation when nothing happened. "I don't--" She was interrupted by her own sneeze, and sniffling she continued, "I don't get it! Where did Yuina go?!"  
  
"...Maybe she's at a lecture?" Zoro suggested, and Tashigi let out a groan.  
  
"Of course. Great. Now I have to--" - she sneezed again - "wait for her out here for around an hour. And I'm positively _freezing_."  
  
"Or, you could wait up at my dorm," Zoro said, looking irritatedly at her, "and maybe get yourself dry. I mean, now _there's_ an idea."  
  
"I'm fine," She said quickly, her surprised eyes turned away from Zoro as she went on, "I'm not really _that_ cold, and besides, it's not really an _hour_, just exaggerated - probably fifty, forty, perhaps even just thirty mi--" Tashigi let out a tremendous bout of sneezes in succession before continuing with a very nasal voice, "Ann just why are you gedding mad?!"  
  
_Because you are being such a stubborn, prideful dork, that's all._ "Just." Zoro said, rolling his eyes, and he started walking away from the room. When he noticed she wasn't following, he called over his shoulder, "So are you coming or not?"  
  
She hesitated, then thought, _well... Sandy White should be in there. It won't just be me and him alone._ "Fine." She trotted to catch up before falling into silent pace behind him, thinking, _why am I worried about being alone with this idiot anyway? Like anything would happen. He's nothing but an idiot._ She suddenly became painfully aware of the fact he was shirtless, and there was a thin sheen of rainwater lighting the toned muscles at his shoulders... _Impure thoughts--impure thoughts-- come on, this is Zoro._ A flash of his intense gaze on her at the dinner dance and the sensation of a hesitant brush of callused thumb against her forehead came to mind. _He's nothing but an idiot..._  
  
Her thoughts faltered as they reached Zoro's dorm, and she watched him stick his cardkey into the door and slide it open. The room was dark; he switched on the lights and she saw, to half her amusement and half her horror, a hazard area of unfolded and rumpled clothes, candy wrappers, empty cans and strewn papers littering the floor.  
  
"Looks like Sanji's not in," Zoro mused, cutting into Tashigi's wonderings of mixed fascination and shock at the fact any human being could live in here. "Well, just go ahead to the bathroom." There was a pause, and Zoro added, "You can lock it from the inside, the lock does work."  
  
She looked at him uncertainly. "Are you sure I can dry off first? I mean... Aren't you cold?"  
  
He smirked as he said smugly, "I'm not a girl." Her eye twitched.  
  
"I can see that for myself," Tashigi said coolly, "but I'm afraid I was asking if you were--" - she sneezed again - "--cold."  
  
That irritating smirk remained on his lips as he said easily, "Guys don't freeze up that quickly."  
  
"And here I thought you had the brains to be something a little less than a sexist pig." She snapped irritably, and he frowned.  
  
"I'm not a sexist."  
  
"Really? You're giving a really good impression of one."  
  
"It's just a fact! Guys don't need as much heat as girls do!! You should see all the clothes Nami had to wear in Drum Island." _Of course, she had a fever, but I'm not telling you that. Oh, and just how freaking cold I was after I dived in the icy water is nothing compared to how cold I am now. I'm not telling you that either._  
  
"Fine, so you base everything on your navigator, do you? And you call your findings a _fact_?! That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!!"  
  
"I was just-- look, whatever!" Zoro said, shaking his head sharply as though he just wanted to forget about it, "Can't you just take a shower without questioning every little thing I say?! I said I was fine, just accept it and get on with it!!"  
  
"Your lips are blue," Tashigi said smartly, "and your jaw is clenched from not letting your teeth chatter. I only asked if you were cold because I _knew_ you were."  
  
_Damn._ "My lips are _not_ blue."  
  
"Yes they are."  
  
"They're not. I'm not cold, so why would--" Zoro suddenly gave a rather loud and startling sneeze; as he sniffed, he caught Tashigi's smirk and he scowled at her. "Ha ha, yes, a sneeze means I'm dying of cold. Just go in!!"  
  
Tashigi bristled as she snarled, "Fine, I will! Don't blame me if you catch hypothermia!!"  
  
"Aren't you happy you get the first shower?" He asked exasperatedly, "Why are you getting mad?"  
  
_Because you are being such a stubborn, prideful dork, that's all._ "Just." She strode as quickly into the bathroom as she could without stamping on any of the clothes and food packets; when she finally reached the door she felt rather like the winner of an obstacle race. She managed to give Zoro a roll of her eyes before shutting the door. He made sure the lock clicking in place sounded before he rolled his own eyes unseen. His teeth clicked together uncontrollably, several shivers running up his arms as he drew up his hands to warm himself. He licked his lips and grimaced. _Okay, maybe they are blue._

* * *

"Kale! Rendel!"  
  
Both Angels looked up in time to see Rainte waving at them from one end of the pavement, obviously in possession of a human body for the time being.  
  
"Rainte, what are you doing down here?" Kale said in surprise, standing up from the bench, and Rendel followed suit nervously. "Is something up?"  
  
"I'll ignore that sorry excuse of a pun," Rainte said with a roll of his eyes, but then his expression turned serious as he continued, "and say yes. Something really, really bad has happened."  
  
"Is it Valkrief?" Rendel asked worriedly. Both Rainte and Kale stared at her, and she shrugged embarrassedly. "He rubbed off onto me," she muttered as Kale grinned.  
  
"I'm afraid it is. He somehow got hold of a multi-dimensional warp sphere, and he's now accessing all the Banished dimensions he can find. There are Archangels sealing them up as fast as they can, but it won't be long till Kriquelleif has an army of demons large enough to wipe at least a couple of worlds out. Not to mention the fact he can access simulators with that sphere, meaning he can test out any possible future invasions into Heaven... we have to devise a good counter quick."  
  
Kale's grin had long slid off his face, and Rendel was surprised to see him blanch. She said confusedly, "Rainte, how did he even get a hold of a multi-dimensional warp sphere? There aren't any on earth."  
  
Kale was rapidly patting his pockets, and his whispered "Oh no." brought the attention of both Rainte and Rendel immediately to his horrified face.  
  
"It was yours?!"  
  
"I--I must have dropped it!" He said desperately, "I had one on me just for this mission with the whole Oda-dimension thing, when I was running a simulation of their last day and everything-- Oh no, God is going to be furious!! And I just got promoted."  
  
"Like that matters!!" Rendel snapped, "I can't believe you'd just drop that thing anywhere, when Demons were on the loose!"  
  
"Shut up, both of you," Rainte said hastily, "we need to get Upstairs fast and plan out something. Come on."  
  
Kale and Rendel nodded curtly, and Luffy was startled to be shoved back to his mind... alone. _Kale?..._  
  
_I'll be right back._ Luffy looked over at the dark-haired girl next to him, who was blinking rather confusedly. Then she saw Luffy, and cocked her head to one side with a searching look in her eyes as she asked,  
  
"Do I know you?"  
  
"You don't remember me?" Luffy said in surprise, and he laughed before outstretching his hand. "It doesn't matter. I'm Luffy."  
  
She shrugged, but appeared to be completely at ease with him as she took his hand and smiled brightly at him. "I'm Yuko. So... does this mean you hear a voice in your head, too?"  
  
If she'd been a little older than ten, she probably would have phrased that better, but Luffy understood all the same.  
  
"Yup," Luffy said cheerfully. He and Yuko took no notice of the rather confused and fearful people walking by them that had happened to hear that last bit.

* * *

Tashigi looked at the bathroom with a sigh of relief at how much less of a living hazard it was than the room. Sure, there were a few clothes crumpled up on the floor (and what she thought were a pair of boxers, but she certainly didn't want to think about those) and the mess of toothbrushes and shaving cream and soap at the sink was a little less than amiable. But it was still clear enough for her to walk towards the shower without having to wade through anything. As she peeled off Zoro's shirt, she couldn't help but feel a little self-concious despite the lock. The fact there was only a panel of wood between her naked body and Zoro was not something she was used to feeling...  
  
_Oh get a grip. It's a panel of wood, not a pane of glass; unless you're worried about Zoro having X-ray vision you better take a shower quick._ Chiding herself all the way, she quickly pulled off the rest of her attire and pulled the curtain shut. The spray of hot water felt so good at first Tashigi didn't think of much else as she used liberal amounts of the liquid soap at the side all over herself. It wasn't until she had been savouring the steamy air as she patted herself dry with a towel from the medicine cabinet that she realised there was nothing to wear. _I am a moron._  
  
"Uhm, Roronoa?" She called out, and he let out a grunt in response. "I need something to wear."  
  
A pause, and a somewhat irregular tone of voice responded, "Oh. Uhm, hang on." There was the sound of rummaging about sounded, and she winced as she imagined him ripping the room apart even more than it already was.  
  
Meanwhile, Zoro tried to find something he hadn't worn yet, but was finding it hard to actually find his suitcase. _Come on..._ He pulled out a shirt, sniffed it, and exhaled in relief at the fact it was clean. But he wasn't sure he'd be able to find her a pair of pants she could fit into...  
  
"Roronoa?"  
  
"Give me a minute," He snapped, looking around, and finally spotted the edge of his suitcase amidst a mountain of candy wrappers. "Luffy," He grumbled as he kicked the trunk open, and he stared. _I didn't know I wore everything except those pairs of pants. Huh._ Not really having much a choice, Zoro tugged out both the jeans and the black trousers, bundled the clean shirt and jeans together before knocking on the bathroom door. The lock clicked before just Tashigi's hands appeared. A gush of steamy air rushed into Zoro's face as he pushed the bundle of clothes into them firmly, and she shut the door again with a mumbled,  
  
"Thanks."  
  
There was a long pause, and Zoro suddenly realised something he immediately regretted realising. _She has no new underwear._ He bit his lip; giving her a pair of his underwear was totally out of the question. Go to Nami or Vivi and ask for a pair? _No way,_ he thought fervently; not if he valued his skull. _Nevermind. She'll do something._ He really didn't want to be thinking about this, but now that his brain had started it didn't seem to want to let go. _Maybe she'll wear her old underwear? But that'd be pretty soaked, not to mention it's kind of gross. Maybe she'll ask for a pair of boxers? What the hell am I thinking, of course not. Then... she'll probably have to live for a moment without wearing any._ Oh God, did Zoro wish he hadn't thought of that last one.  
  
He practically jumped when the door opened, and Tashigi stepped out with the towel wrapped around her old clothes; his clothes hung loosely against her frame, and she looked a little flushed and irked.  
  
"I had to fold up these pant legs about a zillion times before I could actually walk in them," She said, shaking her head, "yeesh."  
  
"Uhm, yeah. Yeesh." Zoro said, trying to sound normal and avoiding looking at her. _Do not think about it. Do not think about it. Do not-- oh hell, Zoro, just stop thinking at all!_ "Er, I'll be right back." Tashigi blinked and stared as he grabbed the black pair of trousers and nipped into the bathroom hastily.  
  
_Is it just me, or was he being extremely nervous just now?_ She shrugged it off and cleared off some clothes on the bed so she could sit on it. The sound of water running droned through the door, and Tashigi suddenly realised the situation had spun around. He hadn't locked the door, though. _Hmm..._  
  
"Gah!!" She yelped, hitting herself on the head, and she thought furiously to herself, _get a GRIP you idiot!!_ Desperate for a distraction, she looked around and found a Mathematics textbook Zoro had apparently been flicking through during her shower. She quickly picked it up and began to look through it, begging herself to become interested enough in mechanics.  
  
Zoro was looking at the bottle of liquid fabric soap Tashigi had just used, and shook his head, trying not to let his laughter out. _Probably not a good idea to tell her what she used, or she'll ask why we've got it in the first place..._ He picked up the shampoo and soap from behind the fabric soap, still shaking with silent laughter.

* * *

"You caught Arlong's gang, including his closest members. Some of them were not onsite, but you caught them nearby, acting as backup. That rounds up around twenty of those supposed 'mermen'."  
  
"Mmhmm."  
  
"You also caught the notorious Buggy crew, also hanging around with the backup. There were only sixteen of them, but they were the leaders of the Buggy gang."  
  
"Mmhmm."  
  
"You even caught a hoard of Black cat members, though their leader was uncovered by unnamed individuals - Krow, can you believe it? - you still got about twenty-three of them yourself."  
  
"Mmhmm."  
  
"And Waporu, another respected figure no one had a clue about on his evil doings, was tracked down by the telltale members of his 'secret soldiers'. That's another twenty caught, including Waporu. We have got to do something about that weirdo, by the way; he keeps chewing the bars and gnawing the lock."  
  
"Mmhmm."  
  
"Smoker, that is a hell load of gangsters caught today, from some kind of conspiracy we have yet to uncover - besides Krow's side of the story - so could you please tell me why the hell you're looking so freaking down? You look like you lost your motorcycle."  
  
A flash of alarm flickered in Smoker's eyes at just the thought of that, but he soon started brooding again, puffing on a cigar disgruntledly. "I just have an overwhelming sense of deja vu," he muttered, "because I didn't do anything much, but I'm getting the credit anyway."  
  
"Aw hell," said his companion, rolling her eyes as she sat on his desk, "when I was your position I was ready to do absolutely anything just to get a promotion."  
  
"Well, I'm not like you, am I?" Smoker snapped shortly, and she shrugged. "Anyway... it's more than just that..." The image of a certain skateboarder flashed through his mind before he scowled and repeated darkly, "It's more than just that."  
  
His companion noticed his ears had gone red, a sure sign that his pride was severely damaged.

* * *

Zoro popped out of the shower far more quickly than Tashigi had, sporting only his black trousers. He sniffed a bit as he sat on an empty spot on the floor next to Tashigi's legs; he began absent-mindedly toweling his hair.  
  
"Where's your room-mate?" Tashigi asked, and he shrugged.  
  
"He'll be alright. He went off to save Nami, and I'm pretty sure my gut instinct is accurate."  
  
"So you think they're fine from feeling."  
  
"Yup."  
  
Tashigi sighed, shaking her head. "You're not worried about him?"  
  
"I'd never be worried about that dolt," Zoro said disgustedly, "and besides, I trust them. They'll be fine."  
  
_Must be nice to have bonds that deep,_ Tashigi thought as she set down the upside-down textbook. She played with a pencil on the floor with her toes as she mumbled what she'd just been in deep thought about during Zoro's shower. "Have you thought about what's going to happen?"  
  
"...What do you mean?"  
  
"Well... you said yourself how we don't belong here. That means... we're going back, right?"  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"Yeah, obviously."  
  
"...So... how exactly does that work?"  
  
"Not a clue." Zoro said, clearly undisturbed by this, "I guess we'll just figure it out ourselves later. Kale will help us do that. You probably don't have to do anything, since I think it's just our crew that have to deal with this."  
  
Tashigi frowned. "That's not fair! That bastard killed me brutally, too. He killed everyone in the village I was--" She cut herself off with a mental shake, and tried to ignore Zoro's curious glance as she began again, "So I just have to wait?"  
  
"I guess." Zoro looked at her perturbed and rather put-out look, and he sighed. "Do you marines have this idea you absolutely _have_ to get involved with everything?"  
  
"No," Tashigi said haughtily, "we just have the idea that we should do whatever it takes to set things right."  
  
"Even if it's not your role to?" Zoro snapped, and Tashigi didn't say anything. A long pause before Tashigi surprised Zoro by whispering,  
  
"No... I don't know."  
  
As he craned his neck to look at her, he suddenly let out an almighty sneeze. Tashigi raised an eyebrow.  
  
"You're not drying your hair properly, you do realise."  
  
"I am too," He said thickly, and sneezed again. Tashigi shook her head, tutting.  
  
"You've been rubbing at the same spot of hair for ages. And you're shirtless, so that doesn't help much, does it?"  
  
Zoro grumbled as he rubbed at his hair unsuccessfully, sneezing again, and Tashigi stood up suddenly and plopped down in front of him. She stretched her arms towards his hands, commanding, "Hand it over." He wouldn't at first, but she wrestled it out of his fingers and began to scrunch his green hair through the towel forcefully.  
  
"Ow!! Oww!! Stop it-- that-- HURTS!!" His voice came out muffled as she basically attacked his head with the towel, relentlessly rubbing hard at his scalp as she snapped,  
  
"If you'd stay still, maybe it wouldn't hurt as much!!"  
  
"You're burning me!!"  
  
"STAY STILL!!"  
  
Admitting defeat, Zoro let his hands fall onto his lap as Tashigi assaulted his hair furiously. She eased up once she noticed the lack of resistance, however, and she dried his hair a bit more effectively. Her eyes were trained on the towel, her attention honed to the sensation of water soaking the towel, but his eyes were on hers.  
  
Her eyes, at this close inspection, were a very clear chocolate brown; they were so intensely fixed on his hair at the moment... Zoro's eyes trailed down the pale skin of her cheek, marred wth a few fading scratches from earlier in the day, to her lips. Her lower lip was clutched by her teeth in her concentration, not exactly the image of a luring pair of luscious lips, but that didn't stop Zoro from thinking things he kept wishing he wouldn't.  
  
"There," She said triumphantly, patting about his scalp, "now that's what I call properly dry. Now how does that feel like?"  
  
"You haven't done my fringe properly, that's what it feels like." Zoro said, pointing to his forehead where several strands of wet green hair stuck to his skin. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Didn't think you were a perfectionist at the state of the room." She remarked crossly as she sat down from her previous kneeling and began to dry his bangs. His eye twitched as he growled,  
  
"The current state of this room was caused by a hyperactive twelve-year-old and a blonde blockhead. I happen to know where all my stuff is!"  
  
"Which explains why you couldn't find your own clothes for a long while, hmm?" Tashigi replied, and Zoro felt his other eye twitch.  
  
"Look, it's not my fault the little dumbass dumped all his candy wrappers on _my_ suitcase!!"  
  
"You haven't even unpacked yet?" Tashigi said in surprise, and Zoro groaned.  
  
"Nevermind. Whatever. Is it dry yet?" Her hands clung onto the towel, but she stopped moving as she said quietly,  
  
"I think so." There was a short silence as Zoro stared at her concentrated face despite her lack of movement. Then she said suddenly, "Zoro, why do you always save my ass?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know... back at the dinner dance. And ... when Jenna fooled me. What made you come and save me?"  
  
Zoro looked as though something had just dawned on him before he asked wearily, "Let me guess. You're worried I thought you were too weak to save yourself?"  
  
She started, looking surprised before her face fell into a frown. "Yes, in fact... that was on my mind. How--?"  
  
"I can read you like a book now," Zoro said irritably, "and I have got to tell you you're getting downright stupid. Okay, yes, I did go because I was worried. You could have been drugged for all I know. But you pulled it off all the same without too much of my help anyway. So everything's alright, and you're-- you're stronger."  
  
"Stronger." Tashigi repeated, her eyes lighting as she said the word. Zoro's eyes were trained on hers as he said quietly,  
  
"You don't have to be stronger than you are. Just... be yourself, I guess."  
  
She started to nod, and opened her mouth to ask just what exactly that was supposed to mean, but the words died halfway up her throat as one of he lifted a hand and pressed his fingers against her temple. She gave a sharp wince, and he muttered, "Did they do that to you?"  
  
"...Yes. But it doesn't matter anymore." Tashigi sounded so sincere Zoro was shocked; he'd never let any ass that left a bruised imprint this bad off the hook.  
  
She swallowed suddenly, giving him a rather awkward look, and Zoro was also struck by the strong sense of deja vu. He swallowed hard too, his eyes fixed on hers in an intense lock. She was breathing a little unevenly, her eyes full of nervousness and-- and... he was pretty sure, as he searched her eyes, that she was reciprocating the feelings churning in his stomach now.  
  
Which was good for him in a way, but rather unfortunate for the both of them in terms of how weird it made him feel. He couldn't tell whether he'd contracted some kind of allergy from Tashigi, or whether he... perhaps... he wasn't sure, but at this moment he thought perhaps he did know -- had known all along... But disastrously enough, he'd never done any crap like this before. Never. His heart began to thump against his throat. What was he supposed to do? Oh, he knew what that stupid cook would say...  
  
_I thought this was supposed to happen with my knight in shining armour!_ Tashigi thought, panic filling her as time dragged on, the tension swelling with every passing second. _Or that this sort of thing only happened to sissy girls. Pull yourself together, Tashigi, this is Roronoa we're talking about..._ His eyes were so unreadable, but were avidly gazing into hers in such a piercing manner she couldn't look away. And the heat from his fingertips were almost burning into her senses.  
  
_Roronoa's just an idiot, isn't he?_ Her fingers were still frozen in grips on the towel. Her heart was starting to bang against her ribs, and she could scarcely breathe; the tension was killing her, and an emotion she wasn't sure she was ready to face was surfacing... _Isn't he?_  
  
They stared at each other nervously, unsure of what to do next, the tension mounting higher and higher every second. Suddenly at the same time both of them decided to take the plunge.  
  
_Just do it!_  
  
_You can do it!_  
  
BANG. They had jutted their heads towards each other simultaneously and collided rather painfully around their foreheads and noses. Unable to speak from the pain, the two simply scrunched up their noses and squeezed their eyes shut in awkward silence for about a minute.  
  
"....That hurt," Tashigi managed to say, peeking out of one eye. Zoro was already peering at her in a very aggravating manner as he said disdainfully,  
  
"You shouldn't have bent your head forward at the same time as me."  
  
"Oh, gee, Roronoa, if only I had put my mind-reading skills to test," She said sarcastically, "I'm ever so sorry."  
  
"I'm sorry too." Zoro said quickly, and Tashigi could tell by the hasty and embarrassed way he said it that he was actually being honest. She shrugged, struggling hard not to show the disappointment she was already horrified at having in the first place. Pretty sure the moment was lost now, Tashigi released her grip from his towel.  
  
She was completely unprepared for him moving forward and very hesitantly and gently pressing his lips upon her own. She forced down a squeak of surprise as his lips began to tentatively move against hers. Slowly, she kissed him back a little nervously at first, and soon they progressed slowly to a deeper, sweeter kiss.  
  
Zoro couldn't believe he'd done it, and now that he had, he had to admit to himself that he'd probably do it again and again if he were given the chance. He gently breathed her scent in as her palms lay resting on his shoulders, and... she smelled just like...  
  
She smelled just like the liquid fabric soap.  
  
Without warning, Zoro broke off the kiss with a snort of laughter. Her eyes fluttered open as he drew back, trembling and trying with all his might not to smile. At the worried and confused look on Tashigi's face, he couldn't stop laughing, and pretty soon started to just howl with laughter and pound the floor before a shocked and bewildered Tashigi. It didn't take her long to react, however; she frowned, blushing deeply as she yelled, "What the hell?! What's wrong?"  
  
"You--" Zoro tried to speak, but he was laughing too hysterically to talk. Tashigi glared at him, and when he continued to laugh, she grabbed his towel and struck him over the head with it. To her great irritation, it didn't stop him laughing.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, I am aware that this is pretty much a Tashigi and Zoro chapter. I'd planned this scene out from the first day I created 'Reborn'. The whole T/Z moment-with-the-towel thing. I can't believe I finally got it out. Ahhh... Well, I guess I'll try and get some more done this year. I admittedly need to plan a bit more before I even dare to do so, however, so wish me luck.  
  
And thank you so, so much for reading. And reviewing, because that just makes me glad some people actually enjoy this. Cheers. **

**Oh... and just about that fabric soap. I'm hoping I don't have to explain what it's for. Let's just say if I did have to explain it, I'd been teetering dangerously between PG-13 and R. So please don't make me. :P**


End file.
